Pep Guardiola has made a shock decision to cancel Manchester City’s training session ahead of their Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund.
City were due to train on Tuesday afternoon as part of their final preparations for the crucial European fixture at the Etihad Stadium.
Under UEFA regulations, the first 15 minutes of that session would usually be open to the media, but Guardiola decided to give his players a full day off instead.
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According to the Manchester Evening News, the move is unprecedented in Guardiola’s reign and surprised many within the club.
Guardiola’s Focus on Player Recovery
It’s believed the decision was made to allow his squad extra time to recover following their recent run of intense fixtures.
Those who did not start Monday’s game completed a tougher workout, including Savinho, Tijjani Reijnders, and John Stones.
After the session, Guardiola reportedly gathered his players and informed them that Tuesday’s training was cancelled.
The Spanish manager is expected to explain his decision during his pre-match press conference later today.
City are targeting maximum points from their two upcoming home games this month — against Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen, reports Mirror.
Captain Bernardo Silva recently emphasised the importance of finishing in the top eight to avoid two additional play-off matches.
Guardiola’s men currently sit second in their Champions League group with seven points from three matches.
They have beaten Villarreal and Napoli but drew away at Monaco, and they will face Real Madrid in December.
Former stars Ilkay Gundogan and Leroy Sane could return to Manchester later in the campaign with Galatasaray.
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