Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola used his post-match interview with Gary Lineker on the BBC after Saturday's FA Cup semi-final win over Chelsea at Wembley to go on an extraordinary rant about scheduling.
City edged out Chelsea thanks to Bernardo Silva's 84th-minute goal, but only after the Blues had missed a number of good chances to take the lead.
Guardiola's side looked tired after their exertions in the Champions League on Wednesday night, when they played 120 minutes against Real Madrid in the teams' quarter-final second leg and crashed out on penalties at the Etihad.
Following Manchester City's 1-0 win at Wembley, Guardiola joined BBC presenter Lineker at pitchside and wasted no time in airing his grievances at having to play on Saturday when all the other FA Cup semi-finalists were free from midweek action.
"It's unacceptable," he said when asked by Lineker about the match. "It's really unacceptable. Coventry, [Manchester] United and Chelsea don't play in the week, [but] they let us play today. Next week, on Friday it would be better. Instead of Saturday, put it on Friday to let us have a recovery.
"It's impossible, for the health of the players! It's not normal. Honestly, it's not normal. We didn't have the courage to tell you, to FIFA we shut up, but it's not possible. It's unacceptable – 120 minutes.
"All of you are football players. The emotion against Madrid, the quarter-final, we lose and everything. So honestly, I know this country, it is special for many things but it is for the health of the players. I don't understand how we survived today."
And when asked by Lineker if he had spoken to the Football Association to air his concerns, Guardiola replied: "Gary, you think us demanding is going to change something? The only power I have is to say here. It's not going to change anything. I know it for many years. But why we play today and not tomorrow, with one day off, when Coventry and United and Chelsea don't play in the mid-week? Why?
"Why don't you have one more day for the health of the players? For me, as a manager, tell me how you prepare for this game against Chelsea in their best moment of the season? How? It's impossible. There is no chance."
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