Pep Guardiola admitted to not knowing the impact the Club World Cup will have on Manchester City next season and claimed it could ‘destroy’ them physically.
City head into the last 16 with the Saudi Pro League’s Al Hilal in Orlando having been top scorers across the group stage and with a more harmonious camp than last term.
Guardiola believes the jaunt to America, where $133million (£97m) is on offer for the ultimate winners, has been beneficial in planning for another assault on the Premier League.
Yet some of his stars had a matter of days off between the June international window and FIFA’s new competition, with the league campaign starting a month after the final.