Pep Guardiola warns Man City stars not to get 'fatty' over Christmas as 'controlling' manager vows to weigh players after time off

While this time of year is always busy for professional footballers in England, City entered a week-long break on the back of a comfortable 3-0 victory over relegation-threatened West Ham at the Etihad Stadium.

Prolific Norwegian striker Erling Haaland bagged a brace in that contest, while Tijjani Reijnders was also on target, but Guardiola was not overly impressed by what he saw. He demands nothing but the best from himself and those working under his tutelage.

He revealed after picking up three points against the Hammers that his squad would be called in for training the following day. They will also be at the Etihad campus on Christmas Day, with checks being made to ensure that nobody has allowed their strict dietary regime to slip.

Guardiola told reporters when reflecting on victory over West Ham: “The players asked me to take a day off tomorrow, I said, no, because you didn’t play good enough.”

He went on to say of scales being wheeled out on December 25, with three days off being granted from Monday: “Yesterday, they were weighed and everything was perfect, but when they come back on the 25th, they will be weighed again to see if they come back fatty. The moment they arrive after three days [off] I want to see how they come back. I will be there controlling how many kilos come up.”

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Guardiola has dropped players before for putting on weight, with England international Kalvin Phillips considered to have piled on a few pounds during a post-World Cup trip to New York during the winter of 2022.

City’s highly-decorated coach has warned that similar action will be taken in late 2025 if anybody decides to challenge his authority. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss said: “They can eat, but I want to control them. I have to make a selection on the 27th. If one player is fit now but arrives back with three kilos more, he will [stay] in Manchester. He will not travel to Nottingham Forest.”

Guardiola is planning a festive break of his own, with time set to be spent back home in the company of his 94-year-old father. He said: “Tomorrow I’m going to Barcelona. I recommend you to come there too, the food is top. I will be with my family and with champagne.”

Guardiola is allowed to relax a little as he does not need to step onto the field. He expects more of those that do so when City head to the City Ground. He said of a performance against West Ham that he believes can be improved dramatically: “I don’t say one word I said today in order to make them feel [in a certain way]. It’s the truth. I’m really good at reading what happens in the game, where the spaces are etc. The rest, I am a disaster, I know that.

“The players were not in the right position. If they were, we could create more. In part, it’s because maybe they are new. Bernardo [Silva] is maybe the only one I have had here for many years, but the other ones, no, come on, they have to do it. At that level, they have to do it.”

City’s squad will likely be happy to see the back of their manager for a few days, with Guardiola admitting as much. He added: “Do you know what it’s like for the players to see the manager every day? It’s so tough. The players have to go with their families and forget football.”

Attention will quickly turn back to the pursuit of precious points, with City travelling to Nottingham sat two points behind leaders Arsenal in the Premier League table. They are looking to reclaim a domestic crown that was surrendered to Liverpool in 2024-25.