Pep Guardiola once asked his Manchester City players if Lionel Messi was in the dressing room as a way of getting a point across.
Former City star Samir Nasri told the anecdote during an appearance on Canal+, shedding light on his very brief stint playing under Guardiola.
The Catalan arrived in the summer of 2016 and Nasri was sent on loan to Sevilla not long after making a cameo against West Ham United.
The former City star, who recently announced his retirement from football at the age of 34, was a popular figure at Manchester City, helping the team win two Premier League titles and the FA Cup over six years with the club.
The French international joined Manchester City in 2011 for £25m from Arsenal, making a total of 179 appearances for the club, scoring 27 goals and providing 40 assists in the process.
Speaking to Canal+ this week, as translated and relayed by Get French Football News, Nasri has been discussing the short time he spent with Guardiola at the club, recalling a pretty intense anecdote.
“He spoke to us about (Lionel) Messi at the start of the (16/17) season to get a message across,” the now-pundit began.
“He told us he would be our friend, up until the first match-day of the season, at which point he would have to make choices. So some players were going to be unhappy.”
“He asked us in the dressing room, ‘Is Lionel Messi in here?’. So we all looked at each other, and said, no, he isn’t here. ‘So you don’t have the right to talk, because he’s the only player I would never put on the bench, he’s allowed to sulk’.”
“Messi is someone that he greatly appreciates, they benefited from each other as he started him through the middle, and Messi won him titles – so they have that kind of relationship.”
“I would agree what he said because at Barcelona Messi was unplayable, he’s in the discussion for best player of all time. He has the right to not be happy, to come on or come off,” Nasri concluded.
These Nasri’s comment on Guardiola has prompt Plenty Sky Blues to react on social media.
Why does he keep sucking messi off
— MCFC_MOD⚡️ (@jadzein12) September 29, 2021
I’m so confused
— 🇩🇪 (@HornyGrealish) September 29, 2021
Why tf didn’t you bring Messi here considering you love him so much
— MH ⁷💙🏴 (@7Mcfcmax) September 29, 2021
Messi fanboy… Couldn’t hide his happiness when he scored last night 🤦🏾♂️😂
— EMPTY STADIUM FC 🏆🏆 (@MCFCYoungboy) September 29, 2021
Messi’s gone. he’s not a part of Manchester City and never was
Pep needs to stop twerking for Messi for our players. makes no sense
— Luca$ (@kunaguerx) September 29, 2021
You can say the same for Foden since we don’t lost mostly when he starts s
— Ali (@Ali_Szn14) September 29, 2021
One day without twerking for Messi or Barca is all I ask for, never gonna happen
— 👁🗨 (@mcfc1O) September 29, 2021
Follow Us on Social media:
- David Raya says 25-year-old player is actually better than Erling Haaland
- Pep Guardiola admits he was actually ‘uncertain’ whether player Man City signed in the summer would succeed
- Jeremie Frimpong now shares who he thinks is better
- Josko Gvardiol adoration, Erling Haaland’s penalty secret, Arsenal warning
- ‘That next step’… Micah Richards says ‘outstanding’ Man City star is improving his biggest weakness
- Roy Keane says Man City have a player who genuinely acted like a ‘spoilt brat’ vs Wolves
- Keane slams ‘spoilt brat’ Haaland after Man City striker responds to ‘League Two’ jibe
