Pep Guardiola watched his team’s cruise against Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday

Football is no longer fun for Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola.

However, Guardiola could not be fully satisfied with this victory.

City’s game was the 29th in a row without fans on the field and it will be at least five more before that changes, when the Blues go to Southampton on December 19.

Until then, there will be only 2,000 attendees at St Mary’s Stadium. And although there are tentative plans to get a similar figure at Etihad Stadium to visit Newcastle on December 26, if Greater Manchester is dropped from Level Three to Level Two when the current restrictions are revisited on December 16, this season’s trajectory dwindles. The pleasure of Guardiola.

“Football was fun when we routinely played every three days, the players here came to the stadium and we had the spectators,” he said.

“Now it’s not a special day anymore. What next? Go here, go here, go here …. Of course players want to do that. It’s just incredible how they run but not so joyfully for the situation.”

“It’s like all people and families all over the world. You don’t go to restaurants, you don’t go out. Even journalists, you can’t go to the press conference and see your friends, you work at home and it’s different.

“Football is no exception. We go and play and that’s it.”