Bernardo Silva of Manchester City accuses the FA in an angry outburst
Silva expressed his frustration over Manchester City’s tight schedule, pointing out that they were made to face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final just three days after their Champions League encounter with Real Madrid. This was in contrast to Manchester United, who had an eight-day break before their semi-final match against Coventry. Silva criticized the FA for not considering the players’ health and termed the situation as “unacceptable”. He argued that City was at a disadvantage since they had played a grueling 120 minutes just three days ago, while Chelsea had a longer break and could focus on their game.
Silva stressed that it was unreasonable for City to play on Saturday and insisted that the match should have been scheduled for Sunday. He emphasized that the team was collectively unhappy with the situation. Silva urged the authorities to show more respect to teams like City, who represent English football in Europe’s major competitions. He highlighted the importance of prioritizing player health over favoritism and emphasized that their experience was not fair.
He called for greater attention to these details, especially considering the representation of England in European competitions and the significance of qualifying for various leagues. Silva also revealed that the players were physically affected by the tight schedule, with him personally feeling discomfort in his hamstring and calf after the match. He emphasized that this was not just about City but about the broader impact on English football and the clubs’ involvement in European competitions.
