Pep Guardiola has insisted his suggestion Manchester City lost last season’s FA Cup final because they were a “little bit hungover” was a joke.
The City boss made the claim after his side were beaten by Tottenham in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
That defeat was the champions’ first since they were surprisingly edged out at Wembley by arch-rivals Manchester United in May, a game which came a week after City clinched the Premier League title.
“It was a joke!” said Guardiola when asked about his comment at a press conference on Friday.
“Of course we were ready. They beat us fairly but, after winning the Premier League, we had to celebrate it.
“My guys are really good on the pitch, but off the pitch they are really good too! They had to celebrate it, otherwise what is the sense of (playing) 11 months to win it?
“It was one or two days but they trained really well the two days before the final and United were better, they deserved to win.
“We could analyse some episodes but they deserved to win. We congratulated them. I won’t make the excuse we were not ready – we were ready and they were better. That’s all.”
City are grappling with a host of injury problems as they prepare for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Bournemouth.
Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku, Manuel Akanji, Josko Gvardiol and Savinho are all rated doubtful while Ballon d’Or winner Rodri and Oscar Bobb are long-term absentees.
The problems are likely to mean other regulars playing more than might be ideal, and possibly through the pain barrier.
Guardiola said: “It’s here (touches head). They are used to playing with some pain.
“There are moments when you are injured – it happens. When this happens, be careful, but sometimes there are problems when you have to play.
“Rafael Nadal played all his career with pain and he won I don’t know how many grand slams.
“You have to deal with that in modern football, otherwise you cannot sustain playing every three days in top clubs.”
Guardiola is hopeful playmaker De Bruyne will soon be back in action.
The Belgian has missed City’s last nine games since suffering a pelvic injury in the Champions League clash with Inter Milan in September.
“He’s getting better,” said Guardiola. “In the last two, three or four days the doctor says he’s made a step forward in terms of pain.”
