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Laporte set to show France what they are missing in Lyon
LONDON, Nov 26, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Aymeric Laporte may still be trying to win
the confidence of France coach Didier Deschamps, but as Manchester City
travel to Laporte’s homeland to face Lyon on Tuesday, Pep Guardiola’s trust
in the centre-back is indisputable.
Signed for a then club record o57 million ($73m) in January, there was
skepticism as to whether City needed to splash out once more for a centre-
back after investing more than o80 million in John Stones and Nicolas
Otamendi and the return to fitness of captain Vincent Kompany.
On his arrival from Athletic Bilbao, Laporte took time to settle in his new
surroundings with all three of his Champions League outings last season
ending in defeat.
However, having had a full summer under Guardiola’s orders in pre-season as
he missed out on Deschamps’ World Cup-winning squad, Laporte has become the
stalwart of a City defence that has conceded just eight goals in 19 games.
In an incredibly deep squad with choices aplenty for Guardiola, the 24-
year-old is the only outfield player to have played every single minute of
Champions League and Premier League action.
“I can move the squad but when one player plays good, good and good, it
gives me confidence so I give you another opportunity. It is not
complicated,” said Guardiola to explain why Laporte has not been rotated.
Another is the fact Laporte has continued to be overlooked by France
despite his solid start to the season with the likes of Crystal Palace’s
Mamadou Sakho and veteran Adil Rami retaining Deschamps’ faith instead.
“Sooner or later Laporte will be selected for France because it is
difficult to find a better left central defender than him in the world,”
insisted Guardiola.
“But of course it is good for the team for some of our players that are
not selected for their countries to get rest.”
Three international breaks in the past three months have given Laporte the
rest and recovery time he needs while many of his team-mates have been
putting tired bodies on the line after the World Cup in the Nations League.
“Laporte didn’t have the World Cup, was fresh and arrived in top condition
and especially he is a left-footed player,” added Guardiola, highlighting
another key attribute the Frenchman has over the likes of Stones, Otamendi
and Kompany.
“He helped us to make our build-up and when the ball comes from the right,
he immediately controls to the left and plays it to Leroy (Sane) quicker than
we would play with a right-footer in that position.”
Laporte’s ability to build from the back was why he caught Guardiola’s eye
as a teenager at Athletic when playing against his coach’s all-conquering
Barcelona side.
Only Chelsea’s Jorginho, another one-time City target, has completed more
passes in the Premier League this season and Laporte also has the third most
touches in the league. Another routine 4-0 for the English champions at West
Ham on Saturday began with Laporte winning possession inside his own half and
not panicking when pressed to find Fernandinho in the build-up to the
visitors’ opener at the London Stadium.
City are out to avenge the only blip in a near-perfect season so far when
they last faced Lyon to open their Champions League campaign in September and
lost 2-1.
A run of 12 wins and a draw at Liverpool in 13 games since has put them
back on top in England and within a point of sealing a place in the last 16
of the Champions League.
With Laporte an ever-present, France’s loss has been City’s gain.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0837 hrs