Pep Guardiola’s sex rules have helped Lionel Messi with muscle injuries, Samir Nasri claims
Pep Guardiola imposed a sex ban in order to improve Lionel Messi's performance and it appeared to do the trick.
Pep Guardiola introduced rules on sex for his players in order to prevent muscle injuries, Samir Nasri has claimed.
Guardiola is known for being meticulous in his methods and attention to detail in absolutely everything. And according to Nasri, who worked with Guardiola briefly at Manchester City, the Catalan told his squad that they should have sex before midnight.
His thinking was that the curfew on intercourse meant they would still get a good night sleep, with the order still applicable even when there was no game or training the day after.
As per Nasri, Guardiola referenced both Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski as examples of players who benefited from the ban as their muscles improved.
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“For him, his players’ sexual activity must take place before midnight in order to get a good night sleep – even if they are free tomorrow," Nasri told L'Equipe du Soir, via the Daily Star.
“He [Guardiola] said that he placed this rule on Messi and his muscles improved since.
“He told us this is how he managed to get the best out of [Robert] Lewandowski too and for them to avoid the maximum number of muscular injuries.
“He suppressed many things that were in the kitchen.
“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.”
Nasri played just once for Guardiola in his first season at City before being sent out on loan to Sevilla.
That came despite the Frenchman claiming the ex Bayern Munich boss rated him and wanted to stay put but could not offer him a first-team spot.
Guardiola was asked about the supposed ban in 2016 and said he was very much an advocate for his players having sex with their other halves.
"It is impossible to play good football if you don't make good sex with your partner," Guardiola said in a press conference.
"It's not possible. I never did a ban! They have to do it and the more they do it, they become better players."
Topics: Pep Guardiola, Manchester City, Barcelona, Samir Nasri, Lionel Messi
Josh Lawless