Pep Guardiola eyes Premier League rule change over matchday squad sizes | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has indicated a desire to see Premier League rules changed around matchday squad list sizes, speaking recently.

The Catalan coach has often been vocal about the challenges that come with balancing a large squad, and his latest comments highlight the wider issue of roster management across English football’s top division, where 20-player limits leave managers with difficult decisions.

For Pep Guardiola, the limitations on bench spaces appear increasingly outdated. The topic has grown in relevance this summer with City continuing to hold onto several players facing uncertain futures.

From Ederson, who remains linked with a switch to Galatasaray, to James McAtee, who has left permanently for Nottingham Forest, Pep Guardiola’s resources are arguably among the deepest in the league.

But while the club has sought to trim numbers through potential exits and loan agreements, there is still an underlying recognition that tough choices will need to be made every week.

It is not the first time Pep Guardiola has publicly urged for rule adaptations in English football, having previously lobbied for greater use of substitutions and longer breaks between matches, often pointing to the physically relentless nature of the Premier League calendar compared to European counterparts.

Now, speaking during a recent press conference, Guardiola was quizzed on whether it would be easier to leave out some of his City players from matchday squads, having been clear for so long about the need for the squad to be trimmed during the transfer market.

“If they [players] stay, it’s fine but they know [the size of Manchester City’s squad] it. We spoke about that. The reality is that,” Guardiola explained. “To stay, for me it’s fine. It’s not ideal, but it’s my job, I do it. But if they want to play regularly, maybe it’s not going to happen.”

When further pressed on whether those who would be left out against Wolves provides an indicator as to who is closer to leaving the club, Guardiola denied such a notion as he continued, “The guys [that] don’t play [vs Wolves], that doesn’t mean… did you see the calendar?! There’s no space between games, every three or four days; games, games, games – and everybody is going to play. Everybody.”

He went on to explain, “It’s just these two weeks, long weeks. The guys who don’t play are going to play maybe against Spurs. So it’s not any signal. I admire them, I like all of them otherwise they’ll not be here. I’d say to the club, ‘I don’t like that player, we’ll find a solution’.

“I like all of them, all of them. There’s not one that I’m not satisfied to have here. Even [James] McAtee – I was happy to have him here. All of them. It’s not about that, absolutely. There’s no signals.

“I would love the Premier League to say, ‘You can allow on the bench the players you want’. I would love it because everybody can play, more alternatives.”

Guardiola’s comments will undoubtedly fuel wider debate around whether the Premier League should modernise its squad rules. Other major European leagues, such as Serie A and La Liga, have been more lenient in restrictions, while UEFA competitions allow larger benches.

For City, the matter could become even more pressing if minimal outgoings materialise in the final weeks of the transfer market. With players such as Claudio Echeverri requiring minutes for their development, Guardiola’s desire to see more inclusivity in squad listings is partly driven by the club’s long-term planning.

Ultimately, Guardiola’s latest comments reinforce the ongoing tension between his desire to keep an elite, competitive squad together and the rigid limitations placed on English football’s matchday regulations. Whether his words spark action from officials remains to be seen, but they do shine a light on an issue that could gain momentum.