Man City captain complains about unfairness after draw with Arsenal

23/09/2025 16:16:00 ScoreStream

Midfielder Bernardo Silva feels it is unjust that Manchester City players had limited rest time before the match against Arsenal.

After their win against Napoli in the Champions League opener, Man City had less than three days to prepare, two days fewer than Arsenal, before the two teams met in the Premier League.

Bernardo Silva considers this unfair and thinks that the Premier League and UEFA should coordinate better to allow more recovery time for players, especially for such a crucial match that requires careful scheduling.

Notably, Man City's captain also stated that the recent match was a bad day for top-level football.

“We couldn’t enter one of the most important games of the season at such a significant disadvantage in terms of rest,” Silva said. “Having to play under these conditions is unfair, it’s really not right.”

Đội trưởng Man City đòi công bằng sau trận hoà Arsenal-709657 — Bernardo Silva argues that Man City’s limited rest was unjust

“They had five days off, while we only had two and a half. In a match this important, that shouldn’t happen. I think what happened was bad for football. I understand there are many competitions, and UEFA, Premier League, and broadcasters want to make profits. I get that.

We don’t complain about playing every 3-4 days or having 60 matches a season because we’re used to it. But what we ask for is fairness, because this is one of the biggest games of the season.

And this isn’t just about us. I don’t think anyone intended to put Man City at a disadvantage. In a few months, the same thing could easily happen to Arsenal or Liverpool.

When Arsenal face City, or City meet Liverpool, or Liverpool play Arsenal, there needs to be reason and understanding. In a match this important, players must be on an equal physical footing, otherwise it’s not fair.”

Đội trưởng Man City đòi công bằng sau trận hoà Arsenal 709660 — The issue of players’ physical condition is being overlooked

“We can lose any game, whether conditions are favorable or not, but what matters is respect and fairness so both teams compete under the same conditions.”

Bernardo Silva also emphasized that he didn’t feel physically ready from the start whistle, which was the main reason Pep Guardiola opted for a defensive approach. The Portuguese midfielder also mentioned that the captains’ appeals to the authorities have been ignored.

“We have tried many times, but they don’t listen. We want change, but nothing ever changes,” Silva added.

“I wasn’t in the best physical shape to play. But we still showed fighting spirit under tough circumstances. I’m not saying this because we lost; if we lost, I would have stayed silent.

I felt the difference clearly in the first half. At the highest level, when you just played against one of the strongest teams in the league, away, with only two days’ rest, you need at least one more day to recover.

It doesn’t matter if Arsenal had 4, 5, or 6 days off; just giving us one more day for three and a half days of preparation would make the match fairer. Two and a half days is not enough to recover fully and perform at your best. It really isn’t enough.”

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