Pep Guardiola shrugged off photos of Jack Grealish socializing this week, insisting he judges players by their training and performances, not their downtime. After Manchester City’s 3-1 FA Cup fifth-round win over Plymouth last Saturday, Grealish enjoyed two days off. On Sunday, he was snapped at a pub in east Manchester, then at two more spots—both serving alcohol—in the northeast. Asked about the images of City’s £100m record signing from Aston Villa in 2021, Guardiola was unfazed.
“A day off is a day off—no training, their call,” he said. “I don’t police their private lives. I care about what I see on the pitch, in training, and in games. That’s it.”
Grealish’s season has been rocky again, with injuries and patchy form capping him at 14 starts across all competitions. With the 2026 World Cup looming, Guardiola was pressed on whether he’d get Grealish eyeing a move for more minutes—and a shot at England’s squad. “I get all my players’ frustrations,” he replied. “Dreaming of a World Cup or Euros is great—I’m not fussed by that. What happens with Jack, or anyone, we’ll sort at season’s end. Right now, we’re chasing big things for City. I want the best for Jack and everyone. He’s ours. What’s next? No clue.”
Post-season, City will head to the U.S. for the month-long Club World Cup, and Guardiola wants his squad to savor it. “They say the golf courses in America are top-notch,” the 54-year-old quipped. “We’ll enjoy it. After 11 months of grind, I’m not locking them in their rooms 24/7—they just need to behave, or we’re in for it.”
