Pep Guardiola has warned Manchester City’s players that any festive over-indulgence will come at a cost, revealing they will be weighed on Christmas Day to ensure they return in peak condition.
City maintained pressure on league leaders Arsenal with a convincing 3–0 victory over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium.
Despite the comfortable win, Guardiola remained characteristically demanding, explaining that his squad had already been monitored before being allowed a short break.
“Every player has a target weight,” the City boss said. “They come back on the 25th and I will be there checking how many kilos they’ve gained. I want to see how they return. They can enjoy food, but I want to control it.”
The Spaniard, who has won six Premier League titles with City, made it clear that players who come back overweight will face consequences. Any player who returns several kilos heavier will be left out of the squad for the match against Nottingham Forest on December 27.
“If a player comes back with three extra kilos, he stays in Manchester,” Guardiola said. “He won’t travel to Nottingham.”
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Despite his strict standards, Guardiola stressed the importance of rest during a congested fixture schedule. He himself plans to spend a short break in Barcelona.
“The calendar is so demanding and the players need to switch off,” he said. “If they come back in the right condition, they’ll feel fresh. They need time with their families and to forget football for a moment. Seeing the manager every day can be tough.”
Even so, Guardiola showed little mercy after Saturday’s win, refusing to give the squad a day off because he was unhappy with the overall performance, despite it being City’s fifth consecutive league victory.
“The players asked for a day off and I said no, because the performance wasn’t good enough,” he explained. “Sunday was recovery, training for those who didn’t play, then three days off and two days to prepare for Nottingham Forest.”
Manchester City will travel to Nottingham later this week as they look to continue their strong league form against Nottingham Forest.
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