Manchester City

Manchester City's Leroy Sane: 'Pep Guardiola wants me to play like Lionel Messi'

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 24 January 2018

Sane: 'Guardiola wants me to play like Messi'

Manchester City winger Leroy Sane claims that manager Pep Guardiola has suggested that he try to replicate Barcelona forward Lionel Messi.

Manchester City winger Leroy Sane has revealed that Pep Guardiola has suggested that he try to replicate Barcelona forward Lionel Messi.

Guardiola and Messi helped Barcelona to become the strongest team in European football, and the Spaniard has started to help City progress into the best team in England and mount a challenge for the Champions League.

Sane is also flourishing under the guidance of Guardiola, and the German international has said that he has previously been given advice over how to try to reach the level of Messi.

The 22-year-old told Welt am Sonntag: "He changed my whole play. In Germany, my focus was mainly on dribbling. Now, Pep pays close attention to every detail in my play: the way I move, which open spaces I run in, how I work defensively, how I position myself defensively.

"All this helped me to find open spaces for my teammates, and put myself in a better position on the pitch. Pep has raised me to a whole new level.

"The trainers sometimes come up to me and show me videos of my mistakes and Pep especially tries to make every player better. He often shows me the skills of players he has trained in the past. For example, he asked me to have a detailed look at how Messi manages one-on-one-situations, and how he moves."

During the current campaign, Sane has contributed seven goals and 10 assists in 22 appearances in the Premier League.