Manchester City’s pre-season plans thrown into chaos after Premier League fixture discovery | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola and Manchester City’s pre-season plans could have been hampered by the publication of Premier League fixtures.

Manchester City will bid to win the Premier League title for a fifth consecutive season in August, after Pep Guardiola’s side successfully clinched a record-breaking fourth successive title last month with a win over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium.

Phil Foden’s emphatic first-half brace and Rodri’s second-half strike helped secure Manchester City’s sixth Premier League title in seven years, with the Sky Blues also winning the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup during the recent campaign.

Manchester City will be involved in the FIFA Club World Cup again next year, and will also compete in the newly-formatted UEFA Champions League, following the expansion of both competitions for the 2024/25 season.

The Sky Blues could play a record number of fixtures during Guardiola’s potential last campaign at the Etihad Stadium, with the 53-year-olds current contract expiring at the end of next season, in June 2025.

Guardiola and Manchester City are due to begin preparations for the new season with a pre-season tour of the United States next month, with the Blues’ domestic season starting with an FA Community Shield clash against Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 10 August.

The Cityzens are due to play four matches during a visit to America, with friendly fixtures taking place in North Carolina, New York, Florida and Ohio.

Guardiola’s side are set to play Celtic, AC Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea as part of the pre-season tour, with matches taking place between Tuesday 23 July and Saturday 3 August.

However, Manchester City will now begin their Premier League title defence at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea on Sunday 18 August, just a fortnight after supposedly meeting in a friendly at the Ohio Stadium in Columbus.

Premier League fixtures for the 2024/25 campaign were announced on Tuesday, with Enzo Maresca facing his former club in his first competitive match as Chelsea head coach, following his recent appointment in west London.

Manchester City will also conclude their campaign in west London, facing Fulham at Craven Cottage in the final match of the 2024/25 Premier League season.