Pep Guardiola reveals he has warned Manchester City players of swimming in Florida | OneFootball

Manchester City players have been warned by Pep Guardiola over swimming during their spare time in Florida whilst at the FIFA Club World Cup.

The Premier League giants are now into their third week in the United States as they continue to mount a serious pursuit of the new-look global club tournament, having cruised through the group stages.

Becoming the only side to have won all three of their opening matches Stateside, Manchester City’s wins over Morocco’s Wydad AC, the UAE’s Al Ain, and Italy’s Juventus earned them a first-placed finish and a more favourable route to a potential Final of the competition.

After facing off against Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, Manchester City would face either Inter or Fluminense in a quarter-final should they progress, with either Palmeiras or Premier League rivals Chelsea in the semi-finals of the tournament.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference ahead of Manchester City’s meeting with Al Hilal in the last-16 of the Club World Cup, manager Pep Guardiola has insisted that the competition has now stepped up a notch in terms of competitive edge.

“The real time is here! We made a good group stage, I would say the first two games not playing much well. The last one [vs Juventus] was much, much better. And yeah, there is no second chances! We continue here or we go back home,” Guardiola warned.

The contest against the Saudi Pro League giants will be played out in Orlando’s Camping World Stadium, and early weather forecasts around the time of the fixture have indicated that the match could be disrupted by inclement weather in the area.

“I am an extraordinary manager but cannot control lightning and thunder! I’m sorry! It is what it is; I would like not to be possible, but if it is here I will go inside, continue to be active, and play the game,” Guardiola said on the possibility of a disrupted evening.

He continued, “It’s not ideal but I grew up to not worry about the situations I cannot control. No problem at all.”

Manchester City will also be hoping that Monday night will not mark the end of their stay in the United States, but reflecting on their time working in Boca Raton in particular, Pep Guardiola joked of a warning he has given players over open-water swimming during time off.

“Just good training sessions, after: Pool, talk, beach. I tell them, ‘Be careful of sharks! Be alert!’ And play golf. Sometimes – when I have time – some barbecues, good wine, most people brought their family here,” Guardiola told reporters during his pre-match press conference.

He continued, “Energy in the moment of training and the game. The rest; they’re free, do whatever they want. They want to go to Miami? Go to Miami! Whatever you want! This is what I decided.

“We have to try to enjoy! The best of your job comes from joy, from pleasure, enjoyment, otherwise it never comes from yourself.”