EPL: Overweight players’ll miss Forest match, Guardiola warns

Pep Guardiola has warned his Manchester City players that they will face weight checks when they return from their Christmas break, as he looks to ensure they are fit for the Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest on December 27.

Man City closed out their pre-Christmas fixtures with a 3-0 victory over West Ham on Saturday, but Guardiola said discipline around fitness would remain non-negotiable during the festive period.

As reported by BBC Sports on Monday, the City boss revealed that players were weighed ahead of the West Ham match and met the required standards, stating that the same checks will be carried out when they return to training next week.

“When they arrive after three days off, I want to see how they come back. “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 said.

Guardiola is well known for his strict approach to conditioning. Earlier in his tenure as City manager, several players were excluded from first-team training until they met fitness targets. Former City defender Gael Clichy previously revealed that Guardiola advised players to avoid pizza, juice, and other heavy foods.

The manager has also addressed the issue publicly in the past, apologizing to midfielder Kalvin Phillips after describing him as “overweight” following the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Despite Saturday’s comfortable win, Guardiola admitted he was not entirely pleased with his team’s performance.

He said the players requested Sunday off, but the session 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.”

City sit two points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal and will face Forest before travelling to Sunderland on New Year’s Day.

Guardiola said he has no major concerns about his squad’s fitness or work rate but believes improvement is still needed.

“We have to play better,” he said.

He also emphasized the importance of giving players time with their families during a demanding schedule.

“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.”