'This is my club, not a product!' - Pep Guardiola slams organisers for scheduling two Man City games in two days as he claims fixture congestion is 'absolutely destroying' players

City have been obliged to play their Carabao Cup tie with Watford on Tuesday September 24, just two days after their crucial Premier League game against Arsenal on September 22.

Guardiola has been critical of the scheduling of matches within three days of each other and said the concerns over player welfare were being ignored. Last season he complained to Gary Lineker live on television about the fact that City's FA Cup semi-final tie with Chelsea was played on a Saturday, just three days after their Champions League quarter-final second leg with Real Madrid. Manchester United's semi-final with Coventry was played on the Sunday despite the Red Devils not being in European action the previous week.

Guardiola said: "We played the Wednesday against Real Madrid in the quarter final with extra time, so why did we play Saturday not Sunday? The broadcasters said no because it was more audience, there was more ratings, no it was completely the opposite. United with the Championship team that did amazing, Coventry, had more audience so if the game is good people will watch it. Why could we not play Sunday? This is difficult for me to understand. They said, the broadcasters, ah we have to defend our product. I said this is not a product. This is my club. These are my players. That is why we were unhappy."

The coach added: "We were absolutely destroyed [vs Chelsea]. I said before the game: 'You are sad and you are tired', and they said: 'Yeah'. We're not going to change that feeling. We were not able to go through against Real Madrid. So we were disappointed. You need need time to process that defeat. But then we played against Chelsea. Why not give me one more day? Why not? That is why I said next season it will happen the same. When they decide they will not think about it. But it is what it is."

City could not play against Watford on Wednesday because that is when Manchester United are playing Twente in the Europa League and the local police prohibited both games from taking place on the same night. Guardiola also revealed that City had the option to play away against Watford instead, but he rejected that offer as he preferred for his side to play at the Etihad Stadium rather than travel to Vicarage Road.

Guardiola also revealed he only offers his players light training when they have to play twice in a week because the matches are so demanding. "When you are fresh it is much better. That's why these weeks the training sessions are nothing, you come up to say hi, to laugh a little bit and prepare the next game," he said.

"That is why it is so important to select the team to learn what went right and wrong but you cannot apply training... now may be a little bit more but when you are in February or March or April or December, January, February the schedule is terrible, so in those situations, you just arrive with energy for the game."

City's next game is on Saturday against Brentford, the last team to beat them at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League.