Share

Guardiola watching his weight without football

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola joked he will come back "fatter" from a long layoff from football as he urged supporters to follow the advice of scientists and medical professionals on Monday.

Guardiola, who donated €1 million to help buy medical supplies for the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in his native Spain last week, posted a video message as part of the English champions' "Cityzens At Home" campaign to keep fans entertained.

Football in England has been suspended until at least 30 April as part of tight restrictions on personal freedoms to try and halt the spread of Covid-19.

"We miss football. We miss the life that we had a few days ago but now is the time to listen, to follow our scientists, doctors and nurses," said Guardiola.

"You are my football family and we are going to do everything possible to make you feel better.

"We'll come back from this stronger, better, kinder and a little bit fatter. Stay inside, stay safe."

To try and prevent supporters' piling on the pounds, City players' favourite recipes have been posted online to promote healthy eating.

City will provide daily skills challenges and downloadable colouring sets to keep children occupied, while mindfulness classes will be provided to help deal with the mental health issues posed by long periods of social distancing.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
67% - 870 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
33% - 425 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE