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Guardiola is known as a strict coach when it comes to player fitness levels and in 2016 exiled some of his squad from first-team training until they met certain weight targets.<\/p>\n
Former City full-back Gael Clichy said Guardiola had told his players to avoid pizza, some juice and certain “heavy food”<\/a>.<\/p>\n Guardiola previously apologised to Kalvin Phillips after saying the City midfielder was “overweight” on his return from the 2022 Qatar World Cup.<\/p>\n City are two points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal<\/a>, who beat Everton<\/a> 1-0 on Saturday, and face Forest before an away fixture at Sunderland<\/a> on New Year’s Day.<\/p>\n Guardiola said he had no problem with his squad’s fitness or running, but they simply “have to play better”.<\/p>\n “The players asked me to have tomorrow’s [Sunday’s] training session off and I said no, because they didn’t play well enough,” Guardiola said.<\/p>\n “So Sunday recovery, train the guys that didn’t play, and after three days off they have two days to prepare for Nottingham Forest<\/a>.”<\/p>\n Guardiola added that it was important for his players to spend time with their families over the Christmas period.<\/p>\n “I’ve learned from England, since I arrived, as much days [where you can] have a day off, you give them,” he added.<\/p>\n “The schedule is so tight and the players have to forget. The moment of the game they will be fresh in the legs.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n