Man City are about to do something Pep Guardiola ‘does not like’ ahead of the 25/26 season

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Manchester City’s squad are currently on holiday ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Although the stars of Pep Guardiola’s squad will be grateful for the break, many will be counting down the days to the Manchester club’s Premier League opener against Wolves on 16 August, as they look to make up for a disappointing 2024/25 season.

Many changes have occurred at Man City over the summer, as four new stars have been signed, while Pepijn Lijnders and James French have been recruited to the coaching staff.

The summer months also saw the Manchester club compete at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, and it remains to be seen how that will affect the 2025/26 season, but the club will try and get things back to normal with one of their upcoming announcements.

• READ MORE: Pep Guardiola will be impressed with what Ilkay Gundogan recently started doing behind the scenes at Man City

Man City set to play one more pre-season friendly

A normal pre-season would see Man City play around five friendly matches, with the intensity increasing towards the end of the summer as the goal is to have the players close to full match fitness by the time the Premier League is set to get back underway.

The Manchester club’s preparation for the 25/26 campaign has been compromised by their participation in the FIFA Club World Cup, with City having announced only one friendly so far ahead of their clash with Wolves, which is against Palermo on 9 August.

According to The Athletic, Man City’s pre-season preparations are still being finalised, but it is expected that Guardiola’s men will play one more over the coming weeks.

This is bad news for Guardiola as the Spaniard “does not like playing too many friendlies,” The Athletic’s Man City correspondent, Sam Lee, has stated in the report, but unfortunately for the legendary coach, it is necessary.

Erling Haaland stated towards the end of last season that he didn’t want to go on vacation, but he should now enjoy it while he can, as it won’t be long before Man City are back competing for trophies.

• READ MORE: Manchester City are now in a situation never seen before during the Pep Guardiola era

How the pre-seasons of Man City’s rivals look

Unlike Man City, both Arsenal and Liverpool have more traditional pre-season plans, with the Gunners playing five matches before they begin their quest for the Premier League title on 17 August against Manchester United.

As for Liverpool, the Reds begin the defence of their Premier League title on 15 August against Bournemouth, but before then, Arne Slot’s men will play six matches to prepare for the new campaign.

Both clubs will be fit and ready when the Premier League season begins, which is the uncertainty that is now around Man City.

Alan Pardew thinks Man City are favourites for the Premier League this season, but it is clear that Guardiola’s squad will be at a disadvantage when the campaign kicks off next month.