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Guardiola killed my confidence at Manchester City, says RB Leipzig's Angelino

By BBC
Football News Angelino has scored eight goals in 31 appearances for RB Leipzig this season
FEB 25, 2021 LISTEN
Angelino has scored eight goals in 31 appearances for RB Leipzig this season

Angelino says Pep Guardiola did not trust him at Manchester City and killed his confidence before he completed a permanent move to RB Leipzig.

The left-back joined City aged 16 but after some loan spells and a brief move to PSV Eindhoven decided to move on.

The Spaniard is now playing regularly and thriving under Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann, who he says had the "courage" to use him from the start.

"I had a rest when I was with Pep for six months, that was enough," he said.

"I don't want it again. That's why I want to be on the pitch. I don't like being out. I am thankful that I get to play most of the time. I had enough holidays."

The 24-year-old was part of the RB Leipzig side who reached the Champions League semi-finals last year and returned on loan to the Bundesliga outfit this season.

Leipzig, who sit second in the table behind Bayern Munich, then exercised a clause in the deal to make his move permanent last week.

Asked about Guardiola and Nagelsmann, he said: "They both like to play with the ball, get the ball quick, there is one thing that is a big difference - one gave me the confidence and played me and the other didn't.

"So I am thankful to Julian for the trust and sometimes you need, I don't want to use a bad word, you need courage to put a player and he did from the first game."

Angelino was on City's books for more than four years before being sold to PSV in 2018, with the Premier League club then repurchasing the left-sided player the following season.

He played 12 times in all competitions before first being allowed to join Leizpig on loan in January 2020, but does not believe he got a fair chance under Guardiola.

"It killed me," said Angelino. "The confidence was everything, when you don't have the trust of a coach it is everything.

"I was judged for pre-season, two games, and then I didn't get my chance until a few months. It is hard to play one game every two months so I am just happy that happened so I could come here and meet Julian and everyone here.

"It was a 50/50 experience. On one side I really learned a lot from Pep, he improved me as a player on the pitch and I have to be thankful also for the experience.

"On the other side I didn't play as much as I wanted to or I deserved."

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