EPL: Guardiola hails Man City players’ discipline over Christmas

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has praised his players for maintaining “incredibly disciplined” habits during the Christmas break as they prepare for their Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

As reported by BBC on Friday, Guardiola revealed that his squad will be weighed on their return to training to ensure they meet the club’s high fitness standards. He highlighted that City players have consistently maintained discipline over the past decade.

“I earn four or five kilograms more for the amount of food and drinks that I have drunk, so it is really good.

“All the players I had in the last decade, and that is not an exception today, have always behaved unbelievably,’ Guardiola said on Friday.

The manager previously confirmed that players met the required standards when weighed before their 3-0 victory over West Ham on 20 December. Striker Erling Haaland also shared a photo on social media showing him at 94.4kg, captioned: “All good!”

Guardiola has a history of closely monitoring player fitness. In 2016, he reportedly restricted some players from first-team training until they met weight targets. He later apologised in 2024 to Kalvin Phillips, 14 months after calling the midfielder “overweight” following the 2022 World Cup.

With Manchester City aiming to maintain their Premier League momentum, Guardiola’s insistence on discipline and fitness underscores the club’s high standards both on and off the pitch.

PUNCH Online had reported that the Man City gaffer had warned his players that they would 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.

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