Manchester City Should Definitely Play Bournemouth Later This Week, Guardiola Insists

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Pep Guardiola has expressed his belief that Manchester City's Premier League match against Bournemouth should be rescheduled to accommodate their FA Cup final commitments. The team is set to face Crystal Palace at Wembley on Saturday in their third consecutive FA Cup final, aiming to reclaim the trophy they lost to Manchester United last year.

Following the FA Cup final, City will quickly shift their focus back to the Premier League. They are scheduled to host Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium just three days later. This match is crucial for City as they aim to win their game in hand and re-enter the top five, following Chelsea and Aston Villa's victories over Manchester United and Tottenham.

The Premier League fixture was moved to Tuesday to avoid clashing with the all-English Europa League final between United and Spurs. However, Guardiola is puzzled by the lack of flexibility shown towards his team's schedule, especially when other teams' matches were adjusted. "The FA Cup final. Come on, City!!" tweeted Manchester City (@ManCity) on May 17, 2025.

When asked if he preferred playing Bournemouth later in the week, Guardiola replied affirmatively. He noted that Tottenham's match against Aston Villa was moved due to the Europa League final, calling it a good decision. "Honestly, I am not making irony or being sarcastic," he said, acknowledging that the Premier League made a wise choice.

Guardiola highlighted that his team has been dealing with such scheduling issues for nine years without any resolution. Despite this, he remains focused on facing Bournemouth on Tuesday night. He described Bournemouth as an intense and physical team competing for a spot in the Europa Conference League.

He further elaborated on how playing on Tuesday or Wednesday doesn't significantly impact them but emphasised that decisions are made by others. "We are going to play Tuesday night against an intense, physical, direct and powerful team in the Premier League like Bournemouth," he stated.

Guardiola also mentioned that playing Aston Villa-Tottenham on a Friday night is what should be done when possible. He acknowledged that while it doesn't change much for City whether they play on Tuesday or Wednesday, they will proceed with their scheduled match at home with their supporters present.

In wrapping up his thoughts, Guardiola reiterated his acceptance of the situation despite its challenges. His focus remains steadfast as City prepares for both domestic league action and their upcoming cup final appearance.