Pep Guardiola has assumed the new role of ‘The Grinch’ this festive season, as he issued a warning to his Manchester City stars: enjoy Christmas — but not too much.
After Saturday’s 3-0 win over West Ham, the City boss revealed he’s keeping tabs on his players’ waistlines, with weigh-ins before and after Christmas deciding who boards the bus to Nottingham Forest on December 27.
City’s squad will be re-weighed when they return to training on Christmas Day, with Guardiola personally overseeing the numbers before naming his team.
Fitness, not festive spirit, will decide selection.
Pep Guardiola is conducting weight checks to make sure his players don’t return ‘fatty’ from their Christmas break ⚖️
“Yesterday every player made weight. On the 25th I will
be there controlling [them]. How many kilos [they] come up. They can eat but I want to control them.… pic.twitter.com/v41uqmQIMs
— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) December 21, 2025
“Every player made a weight on Friday,” Guardiola said. “They come back on the 25th, and I will be there controlling how many kilos come up.”
The message was blunt: Indulge too hard, pay the price.
“They can eat, but I want to control them,” he added. “Imagine a player arrives with three kilos more. He will stay in Manchester. He will not travel to Nottingham Forest.”
Despite cruising past West Ham and sitting second in the Premier League — just two points behind Arsenal — Guardiola still found flaws in the performance, reinforcing his reputation for relentless standards.
This isn’t new territory. Guardiola has long been ruthless when it comes to conditioning. Back in 2016, he banished players from first-team training until they hit weight targets. Former City defender Gaël Clichy once revealed Pep’s food blacklist included pizza, fruit juice and “heavy food”.
Even big names aren’t immune. Guardiola previously apologised to Kalvin Phillips after publicly calling him “overweight” following the 2022 World Cup — proof that honesty — as uncomfortable as it may be — is part of the job.
So while City’s players may be carving turkey and reaching for dessert, they’ll be doing so with one eye on the scales.
Because at Pep’s table, seconds can cost you minutes on the pitch — and possibly a starting spot too.
