Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued a stern warning to his players ahead of the short Christmas break, stating that any who return overweight will be dropped for the crucial Premier League match against Nottingham Forest.
Strict Weight Checks Post-Christmas
The Spanish tactician revealed a strict monitoring plan. Every player in the squad was weighed on Friday, December 20th, after their 3-0 win over West Ham United. They will face the scales again immediately upon returning to training on Christmas Day, December 25th, just two days before facing Nottingham Forest on Saturday, December 27th.
"They come back on the 25th and I will be there controlling how many kilos come up," Guardiola stated. "The moment they arrive after three days [off] I want to see how they come back." He emphasized that while players are free to enjoy their holiday meals, control is paramount. "They can eat, but I want to control them," he added.
No Room for Error in Tight Schedule
Guardiola's ultimatum was clear and carried significant consequences. Any player found to have gained excessive weight, such as three kilos, will be left out of the travelling squad. "I have to make a selection against Nottingham Forest. Imagine one player and now he's perfect but he will arrive with three kilos more. He will [stay] in Manchester. He will not travel to Nottingham Forest," the 54-year-old manager declared.
This strict approach extends to the team's schedule. Guardiola also cancelled a player request for a day off on Sunday, December 21st, following the West Ham victory. He felt the performance, despite the win, was not good enough to merit extra rest. "The players asked me to take a day off [on Sunday], I said, no, because you didn't play good enough," he explained.
Instead, the team had a recovery session and training for non-playing members. "After three days off, you have two days to prepare for Nottingham Forest. The schedule is so tight and the players have to forget. The players have to go with the families and forget football," Guardiola said, highlighting the intense balance between rest and preparation.
Broader Impact of a Cramped Football Calendar
This intense period is partly a result of a congested global football calendar. Notably, there will be only one Premier League match on Boxing Day (Friday, December 26th) this season, a significant reduction from the traditional full fixture list.
The Premier League acknowledged this disruption in a statement, linking it directly to the expansion of European competitions. "The Premier League would like to acknowledge the circumstances that have led to a reduced number of matches on Boxing Day this season – impacting an important tradition in English football," the statement read.
It cited the addition of the Conference League to the existing Champions League and Europa League, which has increased match days. This forced a revision of the domestic calendar, leaving the Premier League with fewer weekends despite remaining a 380-match competition. The league assured fans that more Boxing Day fixtures will return next season when the date falls on a Saturday.
For Guardiola and Manchester City, however, the immediate focus remains on maintaining peak physical condition through the festive period to secure vital points in the Premier League title race.
