Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has warned his players that they will face weight checks when they return from their Christmas break, as he looks to ensure peak fitness ahead of the Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest on December 27.
City rounded off their pre-Christmas fixtures with a 3–0 win over West Ham United on Saturday, but Guardiola made it clear that discipline around fitness would remain non-negotiable during the festive period.
Speaking as reported by BBC Sport on Monday, Guardiola revealed that his players were weighed before the West Ham match and met the required standards. He added that similar checks will be conducted when they resume training next week.
“When they arrive after three days off, I want to see how they come back,” Guardiola said. “They can eat, but I want to control them.
“If a player comes back with three kilos more, he will stay in Manchester. He will not travel to Nottingham Forest.”
Guardiola is known for his uncompromising approach to conditioning. Earlier in his tenure at City, several players were excluded from first-team activities until they met fitness targets. Former defender Gael Clichy has previously disclosed that Guardiola advised players to avoid foods such as pizza, juice and other heavy meals.
The City boss has also addressed the issue publicly in the past, notably apologising to midfielder Kalvin Phillips after describing him as “overweight” following the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Despite the comfortable victory over West Ham, Guardiola admitted he was not fully satisfied with his team’s performance. He revealed that although the players requested Sunday off, training went ahead instead.
“They asked for Sunday off, and I said no, because they didn’t play well enough,” he said. “Sunday recovery, train the guys that didn’t play, and then after three days off, they have two days to prepare for Nottingham Forest.”
Manchester City currently sit two points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal and will face Nottingham Forest before travelling to Sunderland on New Year’s Day.
While Guardiola said he has no major concerns about his squad’s fitness or commitment, he stressed that improvement is still required.
“We have to play better,” he said.
He also highlighted the importance of allowing players time with their families amid a congested football calendar.
“I’ve learned in England that as many days off as you can give, you give them,” Guardiola added. “The calendar is so tight, and players need to switch off. When it’s time to play, they will be fresh.”
