Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has defended the right of Muslim players to fast during Ramadan, stating that it does not affect his team selection in any way.
Manchester City has four Muslim players this year: Egyptian Omar Marmoush, Algerian Rayan Cherki, Uzbek Abdulkadir Khusanov, and French-Algerian Rayan Cherki.
When asked if Manchester City adjusts its training schedule to accommodate fasting players, Guardiola replied, “They are observing their religious duties, and we have a nutritionist to help them perform at their best.”
He added, “For the players, I think it’s nothing new. This isn’t the first time they’ve observed Ramadan, and they know perfectly well how to manage it.”
“We can’t adapt the Premier League schedule, but I think the players are used to it; they’re not young and have been playing for many years during this period,” he added.
Manchester City are preparing to face Leeds United on Saturday evening in the Premier League, before playing Nottingham Forest on Wednesday in a heated battle with Arsenal for the Premier League title.
