‘Making sex’ makes footballers better, claims Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has denied Manchester City’s players are banned from having sex after midnight – and says ‘making sex’ can improve their game.

Loaned-out midfielder Samir Nasri this week suggested Guardiola had told his squad to abstain from such intimate activity in the small hours.

But the City boss has not only dismissed the Frenchman’s claims, but said he would even encourage more sex.

Guardiola said: “It’s impossible to play good football if you don’t make sex with your partner! I never did that (ban it) and I would never ban that. If you are doing it… better players!”

Since Guardiola took charge in the summer stories have emerged, via players, of a number of bans being imposed on the squad.

Pizza, fruit juice and wifi, in certain parts of the training complex, are now reportedly off-limits at certain times.

Nasri, who was told he was overweight in the summer and had a spell training away from the first team before joining Sevilla on loan, this week appeared to have added to the list.

He told L’Equipe du Soir: “On a free day he says, ‘Those who want to have relations, it’s before midnight because you must have a good night’s sleep’.”

Nasri went on to claim former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager Guardiola had previously had success with such a policy with Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski.

Guardiola on Stones

Guardiola was speaking at a press conference at which he also responded to claims from former England manager Glenn Hoddle that he is too nice to defender John Stones.

Stones received some criticism for his performance in England’s World Cup qualifier against Scotland last week and Hoddle suggested Guardiola’s determination to get him playing out from the back might be affecting him.

“It’s almost like the over-indulgent father who never reprimands his son,” Hoddle wrote in the Daily Mail.

But Guardiola said: “I agree with him, I’m so nice with him! So nice!

“With John, you cannot forget he’s 20, 21 years old. In his career, he only played one game a week and now he plays three games a week in places like the Nou Camp against (Lionel) Messi.

“For the international team, he didn’t play one minute at the European Championship, now he plays 90 minutes, 90 minutes, 90 minutes.

“It’s so nice, my job, to help him develop, to not discriminate in how he wants to play, to help him be more aggressive, how he has to drive to the ball, how he has to pass quicker.

“He has to make a lot of mistakes and I will do it in the nicest way possible, for sure.

“He’s always available to help the team and the way he plays is special, strong in the air, defensively has good qualities.

“He is not afraid to play. That’s why I think Manchester City are lucky to have this player.”

Guardiola also allayed fears over the fitness of captain Vincent Kompany after he withdrew from action with Belgium as a precaution.

The 30-year-old is being very cautious as he eases back into action from the most recent of a long line of injuries and has also sat out City’s last three games.

Guardiola said: “He came back, he is training good. We are working on him being free in his mind, the muscular issue is much better. He is close to helping us and we are working on recovering the best Vincent as possible.”