Aymeric Laporte: “We’ve won 11 trophies in four years; that can annoy people.”

Aymeric Laporte has a lot to say. The Spanish international sat down with the Guardian and had a wide ranging conversation. We’ll highlight the best parts, but you can find the whole feature here.

He spoke at length about City’s perception, his play, Guardiola and much more, let’s dive in to some of the more honest comments.

On City’s perception

“We’ve won 11 trophies in four years; that can annoy people. Our neighbours haven’t won anything. They have a lot of supporters, we’re in the same city. It’s hard [for them] to understand. There’s only one winner. They’ve spent a lot too...”

On City’s style

“The football we play, no one else plays in the world. We’re an example of how to play nice football, to be superior in all areas. I think they [Liverpool] would like [to take] even part of our game...”

“As for us having something of them: taking chances and benefiting from opponents’ errors a little more, because often we have the opportunity and don’t take it. We let the other team off. But there’s nothing to be envious about.”

On critics

“If you criticise a player, you don’t hurt him. Tell me I’m a paquete, useless, and I laugh. The problem is when your mum or your dad reads it, or someone who’s known you all your life reads that you’re a bad person. Why do people talk so badly about you?”

“People think footballers should be like on Fifa: the pass goes there by itself, players and the ball move, we have time to think. Until you’ve been out there, you don’t realise how quick it is. Do you think us players want to make mistakes?”

On Guardiola

“We have a phrase in Spain for it: un par de huevos [a pair of balls]. City have that, not afraid of making a mistake. You expose yourself but that’s what the coach asks and it hasn’t gone badly for us, has it?”

“City (under Pep) have conceded the fewest goals. Although we can make mistakes, I don’t think it’s as bad as people say, or as some seem to want to make others think because they don’t like City”

A fantastic feature by the Guardian as they really got Laporte to open up. It was refreshing this kind of candor from a football player and I hope City fans appreciate it.