Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has insisted that football is "not a special day any more" due to the absence of crowds at matches.
Premier League clubs have not had fans in attendance for match-day fixtures for several months now amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The city of Manchester has been placed in tier three, meaning that matches at both Old Trafford and the Etihad will continue to be played behind closed doors.
Guardiola has now expressed his disappointment at the absence of fans from matches and how much it has affected football without them.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss told BBC Sport: "Football was a joy when we played every three days in a routine, the players came here to the stadium and we had the spectators.
"Now it is not a special day any more. What's next? Go here, go here, go here [...]. Of course, the players want to do it. It is incredible how they run but not with joy for the situation.
"It's like all the people and families around the world. You don't go to restaurants, you don't go out. Even journalists, you cannot go to the press conference and see your friends, you are at home working and it is different.
"Football is not an exception. We go, we play and that is all."
Riyad Mahrez scored a hat-trick on the weekend as City thrashed Burnley 5-0 at the Etihad.
Guardiola's men will resume their Champions League campaign today with an away trip to Porto.
City will return to Premier League action on Saturday when they welcome Fulham to the Etihad.
source https://www.sportbible.com/football/news-pep-guardiola-claims-football-is-not-a-special-day-any-more-20201201
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