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Guardiola cracks down on flabby players

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has launched a battle against the bulge at the Premier League outfit.

Pep Guardiola says he needs fit players to implement his football philosophy on the field.
Pep Guardiola says he needs fit players to implement his football philosophy on the field. Reuters/Lukas Barth
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Guardiola, 45, said during the club's tour of China that he has no overweight players on his books but to maintain that, the former Spain interntaional has removed pizza as a choice on the players' menu in the canteen and stressed that a nutritionist will be overseeing the diets.

"For me, the weight of the players is so very important," said Guardiola, who took over from Manuel Pellgrini as manager in July. "We need to run. We need to fight. We need to jump to head the ball during a game. And then we need to do it again two days later and then three days after that and then again three days later.

"When you are not fit and you don't have the proper weight, that's dangerous. The players are not fast enough physically or mentally. I want my players absolutely fit."

Guardiola's methods appear to have worked over the years. After taking over at Barcelona in 2008, he won 14 trophies including two UEFA champions Leagues before leaving for a sabbatical from football in 2012.

Between 2013 and 2016 at Bayern Munich, he led the Bavarians to three consecutive Bundesliga titles and four other trophies. City's paymasters are expecting similar success in England.

City midfielder Fabian Delph said he was happy to be one of Guardiola's lean machines. "I've not got a problem with it," said the 26-year-old. "I think it's the perfect attitude. You've got to be fit and if you can't follow the regime, you'll fall short.

"We've got a massive opportunity this season to progress through a lot of competitions and the only way you're going to do that is by being super fit."

City play Borussia Dortmund on Friday in Shenzhen in the International Champions Cup.

City host Sunderland on 13 August for Guardiola's first game in the Premier League.

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