Manchester City star Bernardo Silva voices against 'unacceptable' scheduling after FA Cup victory

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Manchester City's Bernardo Silva has voiced his concerns over the Football Association's scheduling decisions following their FA Cup semi-final victory against Chelsea.

Despite securing a win that propels City into their second consecutive FA Cup final, Silva, alongside his manager Pep Guardiola, criticized the timing of the match. This comes after City engaged in a gruelling Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid, which to a penalty shootout, just days before their Cup match.

The heart of the issue lies in the scant recovery time provided to Manchester City, contrasted with the ample preparation time given to other semi-final teams. Guardiola branded this scheduling as "unacceptable," pointing out the disparity in rest and preparation times.

"We didn't play on a level field because the FA didn't give us a chance to recover, which in my opinion is not reasonable at all. I'm saying this because we won. If we didn't win, I wouldn't say it because I don't like to find excuses, but I don't think it's acceptable we had to play (on Saturday)," Silva said.

"It's too much. We played 120 minutes less than three days (prior) and we had to play against a team that didn't travel because they're from London," he added.

Silva's frustration was palpable, especially given the physical toll the tight schedule took on him personally, noting discomfort in his hamstring and calf. His remarks underscore a broader concern regarding the scheduling of domestic fixtures amidst European competitions.

The FA's stance on fixture scheduling involves balancing the needs of various stakeholders, including clubs, local authorities, police, and broadcasters. The Man City manager Pep Guardiola was also bemused with the FA scheduling and criticized the apex body of English football after the match. Guardiola also mentioned that his protest won't change anything at the top.

Man City went out of the Champions League after getting beaten at the hands of Real Madrid. They are just a point behind leaders Arsenal in the Premier League table but have a game in hand.