Guardiola issues Christmas warning to Man City stars: Players to make weight cut before Nottingham match

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on Saturday issued a stern warning to Manchester City players before they depart for a three-day Christmas break.

Guardiola, known for his strict coaching regimen, informed that the players will have to make the requisite weight cut after their holidays.

“The moment they arrive after three days [off]I want to see how they come back. They can eat but I want to control them,” the 54-year-old said after City’s 3-0 win over West Ham United in the Premier League.

He said the players were weighed before the triumph on Saturday and all of them made the cut. However, if any player gains more than three kilograms overs the holidays, they will be excluded from the squad to face Nottingham Forest on December 27.

“The players asked me to have tomorrow’s [Sunday’s] training session off and I said no, because they didn’t play well enough. So Sunday recovery, train the guys that didn’t play, and after three days off they have two days to prepare.

“Imagine one player and now he’s perfect but he will arrive with three kilos more. He will be in Manchester, he will not travel to Nottingham Forest,” he added.

City currently sit in second place in the Premier League standings, just two points behind leader Arsenal. In the UEFA Champions League, the side is fourth with four wins after six games.

Published on Dec 22, 2025