Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said he will shorten negotiations with the team at half-time after the club was fined for repeatedly being late to the start of games and after half-time.
The club admitted to breaking Premier League rules 22 times “without good reason” and was fined £2.09 million.
When asked to comment on the situation, Guardiola said: “I just read it in the news. I would try to make my speeches in the shortest possible time.”
He spoke ahead of Saturday’s pre-season match against Chelsea in Columbus, USA.
With so few senior players at his disposal after Euro 2024 and the Copa América, Guardiola gave Norwegian striker Erling Haaland significant minutes after his side failed to qualify for the summer tournament.
Guardiola, who previously said Haaland had “muscular problems”, said: “He’s woken up and feels much better. And I hope he can play a few minutes.”
Guardiola refused to comment on rumors that Atletico Madrid are in negotiations for striker Julian Alvarez, who is currently absent at the Paris Olympics with Argentina.
But he reserved some kind words for his counterpart Enzo Maresca, who was a former member of his team but now manages Chelsea.
“I’m very pleased for him,” added Guardiola. “We spent a special year together.
“He is an incredible, lovely person. And his family too.
“He did a really good – unbelievable – job at Leicester: he got promoted to the Premier League and now he’s in one of the top five, six teams in England.
“And I wish him the best because he deserves it. Nice people deserve the best.
“And as a manager he is successful because he has the most important things. Being a manager means believing deeply in something, but very, deeply, profoundly.
“And whatever the results, I stand by my idea. And that’s why he believes in what he does.
“And he will be successful. I don’t know for how long, but he will be.”
