Manuel Pellegrini refused to apologise for his controversial decision to field a team of youngsters after Manchester City were dumped out of the FA Cup with a 5-1 thrashing at Chelsea.
Pellegrini stood accused of disrespecting the famous old competition as he selected six teenagers, with five making their full debuts, and then watched them suffer City’s heaviest defeat since their Abu Dhabi-based owners bought the club in 2008.
With City due to play their Champions League last 16 first leg tie at Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday and then face Liverpool in the League Cup final on Sunday, Pellegrini felt forced to turn to his raw rookies because the FA had refused to listen to his plea to stage the fifth round tie on Saturday instead of bowing to television demands to play it on Sunday.
But, asked about his decision to effectively gift wrap Chelsea’s quarterfinal place, the City manager was unrepentant and insisted more should be done to help English clubs competing in the Champions League.
“I don’t think I need to defend myself. We played two rounds before against Premier League teams and won by playing the best players we had at that moment,” Pellegrini said.
“In England one of the most important things we must do is try to help the teams in the Champions League.
“If we have 20 fit players then maybe I can take the risk. It’s important for young players to play.
“It’s never good to lose 5-1, maybe it’s not the best thing to put them in all together but we had no choice.
“If one team respects all the cups it’s this team. That’s why we are in the League Cup final.”
After several seasons of underachievement in Europe, City have a good opportunity to reach the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time and Pellegrini had no qualms about sacrificing the FA Cup to achieve that aim.
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