Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke about the unusual decision not to train on the day before the Dortmund game
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola attends the Manchester City press conference before their UCL match against Napoli at the Joie Stadium in Manchester, England, on September 17, 2025. (Photo by Mike Morese/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola
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Pep Guardiola says that Manchester City will train on the morning of their game with Dortmund as he preferred them to stay away from the City Football Academy on Tuesday.
City's coach took the unprecedented step of cancelling training the day before a Champions League game, with players informed on Monday that they would be given the day off. Instead, they will meet up on Wednesday morning to train before facing Dortmund at 8pm at the Etihad.
"We will train tomorrow morning. I've done it a few times - maybe not a lot but a few times," Guardiola said.
"Sometimes I prefer it. Don't see each other.
"Bournemouth was so demanding that I prefer they stay at home and tomorrow morning we train. No-one is going to change the schedule because we have a lot of competitions so it is what it is."
As part of the conditions for not holding training on Tuesday, the Manchester Evening News understands that City have sent 15 minutes of footage from Monday's session to UEFA that can be used by broadcasters.
That has been accepted as an 'alternative arrangement' to allow City players the day off, meaning City are to escape any UEFA sanctions.
"Both clubs must make their training session on the day before the match open to the media for at least 15 minutes in accordance with the schedule agreed in advance with UEFA. The two training sessions must be arranged by the two clubs and UEFA together, so that the media can attend both," reads Article 79 of the UEFA regulations.
"In principle, the visiting club holds its official training session in the stadium where the match will take place on the day before the match, unless otherwise agreed in advance with UEFA...
"If a club does not hold a full training session on the day before the match, alternative arrangements must be made in agreement with UEFA to provide the media with access to a minimum of 15 minutes of the team’s preparation (e.g. stadium walk-around)."
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