The Scale as Referee: Guardiola Threatens City Stars with Christmas Exclusion
22 December 2025
Key Measures Ahead of the Nottingham Forest Clash
Pep Guardiola has issued a blunt warning to Manchester City players about holiday indulgence, warning that the scales will decide who travels to Nottingham Forest.
According to ESPN, every player underwent a weight check on Friday, with another weigh-in planned on their return during Christmas Day.
The Catalan coach said he will monitor the numbers closely before naming the squad for the December 27 match.
As Guardiola put it, players may eat, but he wants to keep their diets in check.
Standings, Tactics, and the Holiday Schedule
The manager warned that a player arriving back three kilograms heavier could be left behind on the trip to Nottingham Forest.
City sit second in the Premier League, two points behind leaders Arsenal, despite a comfortable win over West Ham.
He also criticized some aspects of performance as not good, and cancelled the planned Sunday rest, shortening the holiday to three days.
He explained that rest would be limited and that the decision was tied to the quality of performance observed.
Sunday was for recuperation and for those who didn’t feature; after the three-day break, you’ll have two days to prepare for Nottingham Forest, he added.
Guardiola will spend the holidays in Barcelona; the plan is for a short break with a focus on fitness and recovery for those who played, and more intensive work for those who didn’t.
PUNCHLINES: The only thing heavier than the post-holiday appetite is the weight-keeping routine at City. The Christmas buffet? Santa is now on Guardiola’s payroll for conditioning.
Punchline 2: If transfers included calories, City would be the kings of the diet window—and still lead the league in cardio.
