Pep Guardiola warns City players face exclusion if they break Christmas rules

December 23, 2025 Oliver Obel

Pep Guardiola has signalled there will be little tolerance for excess at Manchester City over Christmas, warning that players who return from a short break out of shape will not be selected.

Speaking after City’s 3–0 Premier League win over West Ham United, Guardiola said he will personally monitor player fitness when the squad reconvenes on December 25, with places for the next match at stake. His comments were carried by Hayters TV.

City’s victory on Saturday, secured by two goals from Erling Haaland and another from Tijjani Reijnders, extended their strong recent run and briefly moved them to the top of the table before Arsenal’s later win over Everton.

Despite the scoreline, Guardiola made clear he was not satisfied with the performance and rejected requests from some players for additional time off.

“The players asked me to take a day off. I said, ‘No, because you didn’t play good enough,’” he said.

Instead, Guardiola outlined a tightly managed schedule, with recovery work immediately after the match, targeted training for non-starters, and only a short break before preparations begin for the next fixture. City travel to Nottingham Forest on December 27, starting a demanding run of ten matches in just over a month, a period that often plays a decisive role in the title race.

Fitness, Guardiola stressed, will be decisive when the squad returns. Players are weighed regularly, and any noticeable increase will affect selection.

“They come back on the 25th, and I will be there controlling how many kilos come up,” he said. “They can eat, but I want to control them.”

Guardiola added that a player who returns several kilos heavier would be left behind. “He will stay in Manchester. He will not travel to Nottingham Forest,” he said.

The emphasis on conditioning is consistent with Guardiola’s long-standing approach, though it has drawn attention before. He previously apologised after publicly criticising midfielder Kalvin Phillips’ fitness following the 2022 World Cup.

While footballers often train or travel on Christmas Day particularly if they are scheduled to play on Boxing Day — most Premier League players are expected to spend the holiday at home this year, with only one league fixture on December 26. For City’s squad, however, Guardiola’s message suggests celebrations will be strictly measured.

Sources: Hayters TV