Pep is one of those hypocrites too, and he should take his share of the blame in this, because his follower Maresca has gone and done exactly the same thing.
Pep called Nico G “Mini-Rodri” and then went and froze him out, gave him poverty minutes at the Club World Cup until Lijnders and co had to tell him to play the lad. He plays him, and Nico holds our midfield together while Rodri is injured. Goes to the Bernabéu anchors the midfield and we take three points there. Bossed that midfield and posted better numbers than most central midfielders in the league.
Then he scores in the FA Cup semi-final against Southampton to send us to the final, and Pep benches him for the closing stretch of the season, destroys the rhythm entirely, and we lose the league.
He was more than capable in that deeper role. Far more capable than Kovacic. But yes, we don’t know football.
And despite everything he did for this club, despite his love for it, despite wanting to stay, you forced him out.
You’re going to regret this. I swear you will. 👍
Hurts me, this. Horrible, horrible decision by the club.
You deserved so much better than this, Nico. You deserved a chance under a new manager, the same chance others got handed without earning it.
Go to Newcastle and tear that league apart. Make them regret it every single week. I’ll be watching, and I’ll be cheering for you.
Thank you for everything, Nico. Genuinely. You have a fan in me for life. 🥹🩵
With Nico González gone, it will be the first time since 2006 that Manchester City will start a season without a Spaniard in their first team squad. Adiós.
Nico G hasn’t done anything wrong behind the scenes, so don’t try to stain his name. He’s a respectable player, a humble and calm lad who has never wronged Soriano, Hugo, Pep or Maresca in any regard whatsoever. We’d have known about it by now if he had.
He is being forced out for footballing reasons, and that is precisely what makes this so baffling. Question the logic and it collapses immediately. This is a player who was one of the best midfielders we had last season, who contributed significantly more than a 32 y/o Kovacic.
It will never sound logical to me. Not now, not ever.
One of the worst decisions the leaders of this club have ever made.
You did him wrong. He loved this club with his whole heart. You could’ve given him a chance like you did with Rico or a 32 year old Kovacic. But no, you wanted him out after everything he did for us last season. 👍
Also I knew post pep we would go back to signing players that are simply not jaw dropping / Below Average. We often forget we previously used to emply Fernando, delph or danilo type players.
Pretty sure they looked at his data, analyzed it and and it predicted some sort of positive outcomes, but sadly football isn't played on spreadsheets. @hugoviana