UK Edition
Sex, nuts and a midnight curfew - Pep Guardiola's recipe for success at Man City
Pep Guardiola adopted something of a poker face when asked if Sergio Aguero using a day off to attend a concert in Amsterdam, 48 hours before Manchester City are due to face champions Chelsea in their biggest game of the season, was a “problem” for him. “Day off, I’m not the police,” he said.
But the City manager has tended to police players closely in the lead up to matches such is his obsessive attention to detail.
Had Aguero made his intended flight by private jet back to Manchester rather than been involved in a car crash that forced him to remain in Amsterdam overnight, the earliest he realistically could have got to bed is around 1am.
Guardiola scrapped overnight stays at City’s CFA headquarters before matches at the Etihad Stadium by allowing players to stay at home, a policy he implemented at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, in the belief it reduces nerves and demonstrates a show of faith. But it has not been uncommon for Guardiola to have staff ring the homes of players to ensure they are asleep before midnight. Guardiola also encourages his players to have sex with their partners but not after midnight.
Guardiola wants his players to have social lives and to be able to switch off and no heavy restrictions are placed on what they can do on days off so long as they operate within reasonable limits.
However, he is stickler for ensuring players are mentally and physically prepared and thinking about the game, which has included turning off the WiFi in parts of the CFA so they better communicate with each other.
There have been light training sessions on the morning before some Saturday home matches, squad meals after matches at the Etihad Stadium and players have been asked to eat an assortment of mixed nuts, including almonds and hazelnuts, after games.