Aymeric Laporte claims Manchester City stars “didn’t realise” scale of success under Pep Guardiola | OneFootball

Former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte has admitted that he has only been able to realise the scale of his success at the Etihad Stadium beyond life at the club.

The 31-year-old was a cornerstone of City’s most dominant era, having joined the club in January 2018 through the activation of his then club-record £57.2 million release clause at Athletic Bilbao.

Thrust straight into action, Laporte quickly became integral to Pep Guardiola’s possession-based system thanks to his composure, distribution, and ability to progress the ball from defence.

His early months in England ended with Premier League and Carabao Cup medals, and the silverware continued to follow, as the 2018/19 campaign proved particularly memorable having featured prominently in a side that swept up every major domestic honour, even scoring a crucial header on the final day against Brighton to seal the title.

Across five-and-a-half seasons in Manchester, Laporte would lift 13 major trophies, including five Premier League titles and the club’s first UEFA Champions League crown as part of the historic 2022/23 Treble-winning side.

Now speaking during a new conversation with RMC Sport, Aymeric Laporte has reflected extensively on his time at City, and the remarkable success won with the Premier League giants, culminating in a historic Treble success.

“Honestly my Manchester City years were incredible. We didn’t realise back then, thinking it was normal, but today we realise that was exceptional,” the Spain international admitted.

He continued, “All we did and lived was magic, in spite of the ups and downs. We didn’t win all the trophies we could, we could have won a lot more, but we could have won less as well.”

“I think everyone enjoyed that time. We as players enjoyed the play style, the passion, making a Club that wasn’t the most successful grow and win a lot of titles. I won five Premier League in six years.”

Looking back on the staggering competitive rivalry with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in particular, Laporte said, “The atmosphere during games against Liverpool was incredible, a true rivalry.

“It was amazing to live, it was a genuine competition, we knew it was the toughest game of the season, every mistake could be detrimental, we had to be second to none to win.”

But what about some of his standout teammates from that particular iteration of Manchester City?

“Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero are wonderful, but some players like David Silva are so good. He was able to move into tight spaces, find the perfect pass and manage the tempo as well. My best centre-back teammate was Vincent Kompany,” said the 31-year-old.

Aymeric Laporte’s reflections offer a rare insight into the mentality inside Manchester City’s dressing room during one of English football’s most relentless periods of dominance.

Intense competition for places, particularly following the arrivals of Ruben Dias and the resurgence of John Stones, pushed standards even higher, while Pep Guardiola’s tactical demands ensured no complacency could creep in.

From record-breaking league campaigns to European glory, Aymeric Laporte’s time in sky blue now stands as one of the most decorated spells by a defender in the club’s history, and an era that perhaps felt routine only through how extraordinary it truly was.