Pep Guardiola bans pizza, junk food for City players

SHENZHEN, CHINA - JULY 27: Manchester City's manager Pep Guardiola plays with the ball during the pre-game training ahead of the 2016 International Champions Cup match between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund at Shenzhen Stadium on July 27, 2016 in Shenzhen, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
SHENZHEN, CHINA - JULY 27: Manchester City's manager Pep Guardiola plays with the ball during the pre-game training ahead of the 2016 International Champions Cup match between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund at Shenzhen Stadium on July 27, 2016 in Shenzhen, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images) /
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The Manchester City boss is cracking down on poor nutrition to attain optimal fitness.

No pizza for you! Or soda, alcohol, candy! Pep Guardiola is placing dietary restrictions on Manchester City players, as the club’s new boss establishes his unique, perfectionist culture at the Etihad, reports The Guardian.

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According to full back Gaël Clichy, Guardiola prohibits from training players who are too heavy until they cut the fat and meet their staff-established “weight parameters.” Clichy reveals some of his teammates already have been excluded from taking part.

Clichy is a fan of the new order:

"He cut out some juice and pizza and all the heavy food is not allowed. Some people think: ‘That’s normal, it should be like this.’ But in truth it’s not always like this and I know because I’ve been playing football for a long time. It’s really refreshing and very exciting."

Through Clichy’s comments, we get a window into Guardiola’s fabled managing style. He adds, “When you have someone like Guardiola, who has won so many trophies, then you have to adapt and quickly.”

Apparently, being quick on one’s feet is not just a figurative but literal necessity for City players under Guardiola. Clichy goes on to note:

"The goalkeeper needs to be better with their feet, the centre-backs are improving, the full-backs are important, the centre midfield – he said something like if he could play 11 midfielders, he would play them, so I guess for a midfielder it’s unbelievable. And the strikers are going to score a lot of goals because we are going to create a lot of chances. I can even tell you that the assistant manager will improve so he’s the kind of guy that, if you’re lucky to work with him during your career, he is someone you will remember for a long time because he’s truly impressive."

Next: Lionel Messi to Manchester City? Don't count on it

Guardiola hasn’t been in Manchester long, but he’s clearly making a lasting impression. Results on the pitch will unveil whether Guardiola’s fastidious attention to detail is for the better or worse.