Furious Manchester City believe quadruple bid is impossible after FA force them to play Chelsea on the Sunday before …
Manchester City believe the FA are making it impossible for them to continue their challenge for an unprecedented quadruple.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side have been told they must play their FA Cup fifth round tie with Chelsea on Sunday February 21 – despite traveling to Kyiv following day in the Champions League.
City have written to English football’s governing body to complain about the scheduling – claiming they will have no choice but to field a weakened team at Stamford Bridge.
They believe they are being punished as they continue their bid for four trophies and wanted the tie to be brought forward by 24 hours.
With Chelsea’s neighbours Fulham also playing on the Saturday, the Cup clash has been pushed back.
It has set up an exhausting schedule for City, who face Liverpool a week later in the Capital One Cup final at Wembley.
In a letter to the FA they state that they are the only English club to be competing on all four fronts.
They insist they are as proud to compete in domestic competitions as UEFA tournaments, which has been proven by their team selections.
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The game with Chelsea is one of four in 11 days – all away from home.
Two of those are in London – one a Wembley final – while another is in Kyiv.
City believe their success is being punished by the calendar.
City will play at Stamford Bridge on Sunday 21 February at 4pm and the match will be broadcast on @BBCOne. #MCFC
— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) February 5, 2016
They add that if the game with Chelsea goes to a replay, there will be no available date for that tie before the next round, due to international fixtures and their rearranged Premier League game with Newcastle.
They feel they have no option but to field a weakened team against Chelsea, as confirmed by Pellegrini.
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He said: “I am very worried for a lot of things.
“If we have to play Chelsea Sunday, we will play with a young team because we have to travel to Ukraine.
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“I don’t see why I can’t play Saturday.
“I must do what is better for the club.
“I think it is better to play the strongest team in the Champions League.”