Josep Guardiola is very pleased with Nathan Ake. In the run-up to Wednesday evening’s game against Brighton & Hove Albion, the Manchester City coach praises his defender, who was still given a basic place on Saturday in the FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool (2-3 loss). Aké was allowed to participate for the full ninety minutes at Wembley.
During the press conference, Guardiola indicated on Tuesday that he was very impressed with the Dutchman. “He’s so reliable, so focused. He’s an intelligent boy.” Guardiola then looks back on the away game won at Burnley on April 2 (0-2), when Aké also played the entire game: “Against a team like Burnley, with strong headers, it helps enormously to have a player like Nathan close to John (Stones, ed.), Aymer (Laporte), Rodri and ferna (Fernandinho).”
“It is a pleasure to have him around. He always trains well and is very much loved by his fellow players. If you behave in life as Aké does, you always play well and get what he deserves. I am always very I’m happy if I can give these kind of players minutes,” said the Spaniard. “If he gets minutes, you see that he is immediately busy with the other players,” continues the trainer of the Citizens his praise of Ake.
Guardiola is very likely referring to Saturday’s match against Liverpool, in which Zack Steffen made a blunder and Aké immediately took care of the goalkeeper. “He is someone who always helps others. He is an exceptional person. His mother, and his late father in heaven, will be incredibly proud of him,” Guardiola concluded. Aké lost his father in September, just minutes after the defender scored in the Champions League against RB Leipzig.