Man City boss Pep Guardiola says injury-time ‘big brains’ never consulted them
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says “the big brains” never consulted people in the game with the new injury-time rules, after his side conceded in the 101st minute of the Community Shield.
Cole Palmer gave City a 77th-minute lead but Leandro Trossard levelled late and Arsenal won on penalties.
English games will have more injury time this season to accurately reflect stoppages in play.
“It’s a question for big brain guys who decide these things,” said Guardiola.
The Spaniard added: “It’s a lot of games and every time you add eight or 10 minutes it’s a… but listen, they never consult our opinions, the people in world football, managers or players.”
Football’s lawmakers – the International Football Association Board (Ifab) – announced its wish to “create fairer conditions for both teams in terms of the amount of time available in a match” at the start of the year.
Eight minutes were added on at Wembley, with City leading 1-0. But there was a five-minute delay in stoppage time – while Kyle Walker and Thomas Partey had treatment after a clash of heads – which was then added on at the end.
Many games in the opening weekend of the EFL had similar amounts of injury time.
Guardiola had spoken about the issue in the build-up to the Community Shield meeting too.
“Now, every game we’re going to play for 100 minutes. Wasting time, from my point of view, it is not going to be solved by extending 10 more minutes,” he said.
“It’s more tiring for the players. It’s too much.”
