City coach Guardiola is enthusiastic about Akanji: “Very well-educated, cosmopolitan, intelligent”

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Manuel Akanji (28) is also frustrated. Such as Meschack Elia (26), whom he will meet in the Wankorf. You don’t score enough goals. The other, born in Winterthur, received a yellow-red card in the last Premier League match against Brighton, which he did not understand. “I was really frustrated!” he says. “I don’t think the second yellow was even a foul. I touch him on the hip and he falls. It’s a shame, I would have liked to play the derby.”

Akanji is therefore missing against Manchester United. But first we’ll go against YB. He played four times with Basel against the Bernese. And that was not yet in the phase of YB hegemony. And yet only won once. That was eight years ago to the day. 1-0 in Wandorf. The respect for the residents of Bern has remained. “We take the opponent very seriously. Anything can happen in a football match. YB is not in the Champions League for nothing.” Says the math genius. And you take it from him.

Guardiola is happy

He himself has undergone phenomenal development at City. Of course there is always a bit of rotation. But Pep Guardiola (52) rarely rotates the Swiss out. Twice this season. And the top match against Arsenal was promptly lost. One of three defeats – if you exclude the Super Cup. Yet Guardiola is completely satisfied. “We won both matches in the Champions League. And in the Championship we are second behind Spurs. Hey, the other teams are giving it their all too.”

Back to Akanji and its development. When Guardiola talks about his Swiss, his eyes light up. Let’s start with an exuberant eulogy. “Just great! We needed a central defender and we were lucky to sign him. He is a nice person. And he can play in two or three positions. He is very well educated, cosmopolitan, intelligent and wise. It is a pleasure to work with him every day.”

Did he say that? He did. One on one!

Wicky knows Akanji well

Elia will probably have less fun with the Basel player, at least on the field: “It will certainly be a nice match. Because for me he is one of the best defenders in the world.” Elias coach Raphael Wicky (46), who coached him for six months at FCB, can also sign this. “Fantastic how he has developed. But that is surprising not me. He was already extremely strong then. He already had the whole package. And he has only become stronger in recent years. I already believed then that he could have this career.’

Akanji, on the other hand, says it’s hard to say anything about Wicky. “It was only six months. He was a very good coach who has since developed further, also in the US.” In any case, Akanji expects a Bern team that does not appear timid in the least. “They want to play their football and be courageous.”

And Akanji is in Bern to improve his own negative balance. ‘We are here to get three points. And of course I want the second win against YB.” Anything else would be a feeling of violence.

Source : Blick