Man City manager Pep Guardiola imposed a post-midnight sex ban and it brought the 'best out' of two players

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s post-midnight sex ban allowed him to bring the “best out” of Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski, according to Samir Nasri.

Nasri spent six years at City, including a season-long loan spell at Sevilla, after completing a stunning move from Arsenal in 2011 for a reported £25m fee.

The former Gunners midfielder lifted two Premier League titles and a League Cup with City before Guardiola’s arrival at the Etihad in 2016.

Nasri, who later made a permanent move to Antalyaspor in 2017, revealed some interesting insight into Guardiola’s approach at City.

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One of Guardiola’s first decisions at City included a ban on any player having sex after midnight, which included players who were off the next day.

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Nasri, 35, claimed that Guardiola’s post-midnight sex ban helped the likes of Messi and Lewandowski to “avoid the maximum number of muscular injuries.”

Speaking to French newspaper L’Equipe in 2016, he said: “Relations must be before midnight. Even if you have a free day the following day. It's so you can have a good night's sleep.

“He told us this is how he managed to get the best out of Messi and Lewandowski, and for them to avoid the maximum number of muscular injuries.”

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Nasri received a ban from football in 2017 for 18 months over a doping violation, but he would later return to the Premier League with West Ham.

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The ex-France midfielder, who retired in 2021 after a spell with Anderlecht, admitted that Guardiola was a “picky person” due to his meticulous attention to detail.

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“With Guardiola, on the first day of training, you know how you should play, how to squeeze and also how to stand off the ball,” Nasri said.

“The next day, you have videos for everything that you have to do.

“He will not bully you, but he will do everything to make you progress, to get you to know you how to position yourself and how to play. He's a picky person.”