Pep Guardiola has urgently claimed a jaw that one of his midfielders is 'not smart enough' to play there.
The boss of Manchester City admitted that Matheus Nunes lacks the required 'calmness' to play in the middle of the park, but thinks he has a future in the right back.
Whether it is so brutal or not, it is a damn charge against a star that in 2023 signed £ 53 million for £ 53 million to play in central midfield.
Guardiola spoke on Sunday after the 0-0 draw of City with Manchester United on Old Trafford, where Nunes filled again on right back.
Nunes has been playing there since January after Kyle Walker had unveiled his wish to leave before he was sent on loan to AC Milan.
“He can become a good right back for physicality,” said Guardiola. 'I think he is not a player to play in the middle because he is not smart enough, in calmness.
“He has incredible skills and he learns a lot; Full-backs always have a big mistake when a cross to the distant post where you are, they always sleep.
And he defended two or three crosses from Bruno Fernandes, [Patrick] Dorgu. He has physicality to do it, he can play that position and he has helped a lot.
'When we started the season and I tell us that we are going to play Matheus on right back, Nico [O’Reilly] Left back, you would tell me: “What are you talking about?”
This time, Nunes certainly had a better Manchester derby than in December.
The Portuguese donated the ball to Amad Diallo before he chop it in the box to give away a penalty, with Bruno Fernandes converted before Diallo scored to give United a 2-1 win.
Rico Lewis is the only natural right back on the left in the team and has been played with Nuns.
Nunes has been a utilities for City this season, playing in midfield, both full-back positions, midfield and the left wing.
Earlier this season he insisted that he could fill the gap in midfield that was left behind by Rodri's long -term injury, but he has since been playing only in the middle of the park.
“At Wolves I played more as a winger and last year I played more here as a 10, but when I played for sports, I always played in the double pivot, so I am used to every position now,” he said.
'I try to help the team every time the coach puts me on the field, but I know that the other guys are all ready because we have so much quality in the team.
'We will have to fill the void because it is a huge loss, but those who are on the field will perform well.
'We have shown that if a player is out, we have another one that is ready and has top quality to play.
'It happened with Erling and Kevin last year and we still managed to win. This year I know we will be the same. '
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