The Premier League have turned down a request from Manchester City for extra winners’ medals.
Pep Guardiola’s champions were originally given 40 — one for the manager and the rest for those who played more than five matches, along with other players and officials as the club saw fit.
And while the Premier League declined to comment, they believe that was sufficient.
Guardiola has attacked the five-match rule in the past. Last May, after his side had cruised to the title, City’s manager claimed it was ‘ridiculous’ that some of the club’s young players would not receive a winners’ medal. Six youngsters had regularly trained with the City squad and Guardiola said: “It looks ridiculous to me. If they want my medal, I will give them my medal.”
“They are champions. They worked from day one to the last one, in the locker room and training. They didn’t play because of my decisions, but it’s the same.”
“Maybe it’s so expensive for the Premier League to give three, four, five medals for the young guys. Of course I will be concerned by that.”
Traditionally, City have given all members of staff a miniature replica trophy to mark each success.
However, this year they have decided to commission around 500 medals to reward those in non-playing roles for their important contributions.
Meanwhile, Benjamin Mendy returned to first-team training on Wednesday.
The £52million France left back, who has started only 14 Premier League games since arriving from Monaco in 2017, had arthroscopic surgery on his knee in May and spent the summer rehabilitating in Barcelona. Mendy, 25, now looks on course to provide competition for Aleks Zinchenko at full back.
