No weighty issues for Guardiola at City
Print Edition
MANAGER Pep Guardiola has dismissed reports that a small number of Manchester City players turned up for preseason training overweight but stressed the importance of keeping players fit ahead of the new Premier League season.
Guardiola’s emphasis on fitness was highlighted when left back Gael Clichy revealed that the manager had taken pizzas off the menu at City and imposed strict weight parameters on the squad, with the threat of a ban from training with the first team if they were breached.
“They were not overweight but I want my players fit,” Guardiola told reporters in Shenzhen yesterday, on the eve of City’s clash with Borussia Dortmund in the third match of the International Champions Cup China today . “For me, the weight is so, so important. We need to run, to fight, to jump — to have the ball, after three days, then another three days, then another three days. When you are not fit, that’s when the injuries come.”
City’s preseason preparations took a hit on Monday when its ICC derby against Manchester United was called off because of the poor pitch at Beijing’s “Bird’s Nest” Olympic Stadium, following heavy rain.
Guardiola, who has previously made use of defensive midfielders, such as Javier Mascherano and Javi Martinez, as center backs in his first team, hinted yesterday he could do the same with Fernandinho.
“I think Fernandinho can play in 10 positions. He has the quality to play wherever. He could play at center back,” he said.
Guardiola also said he would let the players decide who will lead them in the absence of injury-prone captain Vincent Kompany. “The players have to choose the captain. They have to decide. If Vincent Kompany is not playing because he is injured, or (because of) my decision, it is not a big problem,” the 45-year-old said.
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