Ex-Manchester City star claims Pep Guardiola ‘BRAINWASHED’ him to make him better after playing ‘completely the wrong way’

A former Manchester City Premier League winner has jokingly claimed they were ‘brainwashed’ by Pep Guardiola during his time at the Etihad.

Guardiola is known as finest footballing technician in the modern game, masterminding the new era of tiki taka football which has become commonplace across Europe. 

While his system is undeniably successful, having yielded three Champions Leagues and countless league titles in his time with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Man City, he has also faced criticism for coaching individuality out of players. 

However those nay-sayers are in the minority, with the vast majority of players who spent time under the Spanish maestro have come out to sing his praises, and former City defender Danilo, is very much one of them. 

The Brazilian captain, in a recent interview, revealed that Guardiola ‘brainwashed’ him with his philosophy and coaching methodology, in a glowing assessment of the 54-year-old. 

‘Pep Guardiola educates his players,’ the veteran full back said, in an interview with The Guardian. 

Danilo is the current Brazilian captain having joined Flamengo from Juventus for this season

After arriving from Real Madrid for around £26.3m in 2017 he played 60 times for Man City

‘That’s the most important thing about his work. He makes all players think about football in the same way.

‘Time, space, movement, possession, taking care of the ball.

‘He makes you understand the spaces on the pitch like no other coach and he lives the game emotionally like no other coach.

‘I was brainwashed by Guardiola, but in a good way.’

While under Guardiola at the Etihad, Danilo was part of the side that won two Premier League titles, two Carabao Cups, and FA Cup and the Community Shield. 

He left the club after just two seasons, but managed four goals and three assists in 60 games across all competitions at City.  

Now with Flamengo in his native Brazil, Danilo spent time at some of the biggest clubs in Europe beyond City, and won some of the game’s biggest prizes. 

Prior to moving to Manchester, he won two Champions Leagues and a Club World Cup with Real Madrid, and would later add another two Serie A titles with Juventus after leaving the Etihad. 

He also claimed that had he met Guardiola earlier in his career he might have had more success

The former Man City defender has played a total of 65 times for Brazil, and scored one goal 

He also spent time on the books at Juventus, before leaving at the end of the last campaign

In total, Danilo has racked up 22 senior honours over his career, but freely admits that had he met Guardiola earlier in his career, he could have ended up with more.  

‘It was like I was at university. What I experienced with him allowed me to raise my level and keep that level to this day,’ he added.

‘It’s not that I was an idiot before I arrived at Manchester City but I realised that I played football in completely the wrong way.

‘If I had met him before, he would have made my life a lot easier. I’m so glad I was able to play under him and was able to learn from him.’