The participation of Manchester City in the 2025 Club World Cup, which begins for them this Monday against Al-Hilal in Orlando, has raised concerns for coach Pep Guardiola. The tournament, now expanded to 32 teams and scheduled in the middle of summer just before the European season starts, has been described by the coach as a risk that could “destroy” their 2025-26 campaign. With an already overloaded schedule and minimal rest for his players, Guardiola tries to stay calm and focus on the day-to-day of the tournament, although he admits the real impact will be seen in the most demanding months of the season.
Criticism of the event is not new. A few weeks ago, Jürgen Klopp, former coach of Liverpool and current global football director at Red Bull, called the tournament “a pointless competition” that further overloads players and could cause an unprecedented wave of injuries. Guardiola, far from dismissing these comments, supported his former rival’s point of view, noting they have historically shared concerns about the congested calendar. Still, he acknowledges that as a coach he must adapt to what FIFA, UEFA, and the Premier League impose: “Would I love to have two months to prepare the season? Of course. But it is what it is,” he stated.
The new format under fire: health, rest, and common sense
Both Guardiola and Klopp agree that the new format of the Club World Cup, played every four years during the summer before the regular seasons, poses a threat to players’ physical and mental balance. Klopp was blunt in saying that the tournament winners will be “the worst of all time” due to the little rest they will have before returning to league play. The German ex-coach criticized decisions made “by people who have never been involved in the day-to-day of football” and warned next season could be marked by an unprecedented number of injuries.
In the same vein, Guardiola insisted that, although he cannot control the schedule or federation decisions, his priority is to recover the team and regain their best competitive level. The match against Al-Hilal, with stormy weather forecasted, kicks off a participation that raises more doubts than certainties for the City, which has barely had a few weeks of rest. The coach emphasized his focus is on the present but did not rule out that later the consequences of a tournament that, according to him, could “turn us into a disaster” will be seen. The voices of the coaches, at least for now, do not seem enough to stop a machine that keeps moving forward at the expense of the calendar.
