Clichy has disclosed that Guardiola addressed the Manchester City squad as “a team of fat players”.

Former Manchester City defender Gael Clichy has shared insights into Pep Guardiola’s early interactions with the squad after his appointment in 2016. Clichy, who was part of the Etihad club following his transfer from Arsenal, revealed that Guardiola wasted no time in signaling impending changes.

According to Clichy, Guardiola bluntly referred to the team as “a team of fat players” and asserted that he had been observing them for a year. In a conversation with Zack Nani, Clichy recounted Guardiola’s words to the players: “I’ve known that I’ve been coming here for a year now and I’ve been watching you. You’re a team full of fat players.”

Clichy’s tenure under Guardiola lasted only one year before he departed for the Turkish league.