Two Manchester City stars top summer holidays with marriage | OneFootball

Two of Pep Guardiola’s first-team Manchester City stars will return to the club as married men following their wedding ceremonies over the last few days.

The off-season break has allowed several of City’s senior and emerging players to relax, reflect, and reset following a draining 2024/25 campaign that ended with a hard-fought qualification position for UEFA Champions League football.

For two members of Pep Guardiola’s first-team squad, however, the summer has carried extra personal significance, marking major milestones in their lives beyond football.

With pre-season preparations set to begin on Monday ahead of the club’s August pre-season fixture against Palermo in Sicily, players are beginning to report back to the City Football Academy over the course of the next few days and among them will be John Stones and Vitor Reis – both of whom tied the knot during the club’s break from competitive action.

Stones, 30, remains one of Manchester City’s senior figures and has shown firm public commitment to the club despite growing external speculation over his long-term future. His wedding reflects a personal chapter that runs parallel to an important period in his professional career, particularly as City’s coaching staff weigh his injury management and evolving role.

Reis, by contrast, is only just embarking on his journey in English football. The 19-year-old centre-back joined the club from Palmeiras in January for £29.6 million and may be expected to go out on loan this season – likely within the City Football Group – to begin his adaptation to senior European football.

As first reported by The Sun newspaper, Stones married his long-term girlfriend Olivia Naylor in an intimate ceremony in Ibiza, with 40 guests hosted at the ‘ultra-exclusive’ Hacienda Na Xamena.

The couple reportedly exchanged their vows last Friday, before hosting a champagne pool party to celebrate their marriage the following day.

Now, Stones has been followed by Vitor Reis, after the Brazilian defender married his girlfriend Isabella Alvarez during the ongoing summer break, as confirmed by photos posted on their respective social media channels this week.

A collaborative post showcasing their special day was accompanied by the caption, “The most special day of our lives! ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him. – 1 Coríntios 2:9. Thank You Jesus!”

Both players are expected to return to Manchester in the coming days, with Reis perhaps waiting for a loan destination to be finalised. Girona are among the clubs viewed as a potential next step for the teenager, who featured sporadically under Pep Guardiola during the second-half of last season.

As for John Stones, his return will be monitored closely by Guardiola and his staff, with fitness and consistency a key concern after an injury-hit 2024/25 season, having not played a single minute at the summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.

While the former Everton man remains a valued voice in the dressing room and a trusted performer in elite matches, City are continuing to assess their centre-back depth amid reported interest in Manuel Akanji and ongoing monitoring of Vitor Reis’ progress.

There is no doubt that both men will carry new-found energy – both emotional and mental – into their respective roles at the Etihad Campus this month. And while their personal milestones will rightly be cherished, the focus will soon shift back to the pitch.