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Pep Guardiola believes changes to gruelling playing schedules will only happen when players themselves take action.<\/p>\n
The Manchester City boss pointed to the example of the Spain\u2019s women\u2019s team and the changes that have occurred at the country\u2019s football federation after its now-former president Luis Rubiales kissed forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the medal ceremony after they won the World Cup in August.<\/p>\n
At his press conference ahead of City\u2019s Premier League trip to Wolves on Saturday, Guardiola was asked about comments made by Burnley manager Vincent Kompany, his former captain, who said appearances within a season should be capped for top players.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is only one solution to change something – the players decide for themselves, (to say), ‘Stop, we have to change something’<\/p>\n
Guardiola said: \u201cI would say every idea that you reduce a little bit the amount of games for the players would be nice. But there\u2019s not going to be change.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThere is only one solution to change something \u2013 the players decide for themselves, (to say), \u2018Stop, we have to change something\u2019. And after, FIFA and UEFA will maybe react a little bit.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis business, the show must go on. Without Pep? Keep going. But without the players, the show will not go on, that\u2019s for sure. So it depends on them, they decide if they accept.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook what happened in Spain with the women\u2019s team. The players decided they had to change something and they changed it. They did it. The best legacy they have done is that.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe women\u2019s team in Spain did it. I don\u2019t know (if), in world football, the men\u2019s, they are able to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cWhen we have a break it has to be a proper break. This is my point of view.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always use the example of the NBA. They play 80 games in a few months but then have three or four months off. You can regenerate. Then after, full (on).<\/p>\n
\u201cThe problem here is it is full (on) and after we have three weeks off. For me it\u2019s a lot. But it\u2019s my personal opinion.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to influence, because I\u2019m not going to influence anyone. I think it has to be the players. If the players want to change something, they are the only ones who can do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Saturday\u2019s match at Molineux could see Matheus Nunes face his old club after leaving Wolves to join City last month.<\/p>\n
It was reported at the time that Nunes had stopped training with the midlands outfit ahead of the move, but Guardiola said on Friday: \u201cWhen I spoke to him\u2026he said to me, \u2018I never, never, ever said I\u2019m not going to train\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the reception Nunes might receive from the crowd on Saturday, Guardiola added: \u201cHopefully he is strong to accept the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Guardiola was also asked for his thoughts on the allegations surrounding his old club Barcelona.<\/p>\n
In March, Spanish prosecutors filed a complaint and UEFA announced it was opening an investigation into Barca after it was reported the club had made payments to companies owned by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the former vice-president of Spain\u2019s referees committee, between 2001 and 2018.<\/p>\n
Police on Thursday searched the headquarters of the committee in relation to the case. Barcelona deny any wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
Guardiola, who was Barcelona boss from 2008 to 2012, said: \u201cWait and see\u2026let the justice, the process (run).<\/p>\n
\u201cSo far what I heard\u2026I didn\u2019t see or read, because I\u2019m out of that, but I didn\u2019t see Barcelona really, really, really, really pay a referee to take a benefit. I didn\u2019t see that, I didn\u2019t read it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why I want to wait before have an opinion, because Barcelona is going to defend what they have to do, and we will see.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWhat I\u2019m pretty sure is when Barcelona won, it was because they were better than the opponents. That I\u2019m pretty convinced about right now \u2013 in our day.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe won because we were far better than our rivals. And when they were not, they don\u2019t win, they lose. But justice will decide what really happened.\u201d<\/p>\n