Guardiola has warned Koeman: Nathan Aké joined the press conference on Sunday in the run-up to the European Championship qualifying match with Gibraltar. The defender of the Dutch national team could count on the compliments of national coach Ronald Koeman.
Guardiola called Koeman with a double message: “Watch out, huh?”
Koeman celebrated his sixtieth birthday on Monday. Pep Guardiola grabbed the phone to congratulate his former team-mate, but quickly changed the subject. Koeman: “Immediately afterwards he said: ‘But be careful with Nathan (Aké), right?’ That says something, if you reach that level with such a manager and you maintain and develop yourself so well. I think that is an example for everyone.”
During the press conference, the national coach praised Aké, who has worked his way up to a fixed value at Manchester City. “What we want, he does,” was what the Orange-choice lord referred to his game without and with the ball. “I think it’s incredibly clever how he has developed. And that at a club that plays football the way it should be.”
Koeman posted Aké against France (4-0 defeat) as a left back, but the multifunctional player can also be used as a central defender. He held that position in a five-man defense at the World Cup in Qatar. At City, Aké is also used in various positions in the defense. “Of course Guardiola changes a lot, also because the World Cup was in the season,” said the international. “We also have a wide selection at City.”
Austrian doubts about Trauner: “It’s about pain threshold”
We shift our attention from a potential injury to an actual one. Gernot Trauner is a question mark for Austria’s international match against Estonia. Just like Marcel Sabitzer, the Feyenoord player was not unscathed from the start of the European Championship qualification.
Friday’s match against Azerbaijan ended prematurely for both Trauner and Sabitzer. Fifteen minutes before the end, they were taken to the side by national coach Ralf Rangnick.
The question is whether they will play against Estonia again on Monday. “Ultimately with Marcel and Gernot it’s about the pain threshold,” Rangnick said. “We’ll see if it’s one or both. We will also take these decisions quickly.”
Trauner’s physical problems will be watched with extra attention by Feyenoord coach Arne Slot, who saw Lutsharel Geertruida get injured on his debut for the Netherlands.
