German goalkeeper Stefan Ortega sees the meticulous work of coach Pep Guardiola as an important reason for Manchester City’s successful season so far.
“He’s a super empathetic person, it’s extremely pleasant with him,” said the former Bundesliga goalkeeper of the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung” before the Champions League final against Inter Milan on Saturday (9 p.m. / ZDF and DAZN) .
30-year-old Ortega said Guardiola was an “outstanding” coach. “He has a special eye for what’s happening on the pitch, he sees things that none of us would recognize.” The Spanish world-class coach then develops a precise idea from this and conveys it to the team. “And he’s never satisfied with what’s going on,” praised Ortega, who moved to City from Bielefeld last summer and can win the treble with the club in his first Premier League season.
From Bielefeld to the premier class
In retrospect, Ortega considers his move from Arminia Bielefeld to City to be the right decision. “I can be absolutely satisfied with the way the year has gone here,” he said. Ortega is the Cityzens’ back-up goalkeeper behind Brazil’s Ederson and has featured in a few games in all three competitions this season. “Nobody would give me these games if they didn’t believe in me,” he said.
In the premier class final, the keeper sees the greater pressure on City – but also the sporting arguments. “We all feel the pressure here,” he said. “Here we strive for the highest possible.” At the same time, the team is “world class” in every position and “obsessed with success”. “It’s amazing how focused everyone is here.”