Akanji: I enjoy the pressure of a big game | OneFootball

Manuel Akanji says he enjoys testing himself against the best in the business and thrives off the pressure that brings.

The Switzerland international has been central to the Blues’ success over the past two years, including playing an integral role in Rodrigo’s winning goal in the 2023 UEFA Champions League final.

City have started the season brightly, currently sitting top of the Premier League table and looking to extend our unbeaten start to the current campaign to ten matches against Bournemouth in Saturday’s 15:00 (UK) kick-off.

But with a lengthy injury list and an in-form Cherries side to tackle, things won’t be easy for the Blues this weekend.

However, it’s moments like those which Akanji thrives off.

“It comes with experience – the more you go into matches like this, the more you get used to it,” he explained.

“The more you get into these moments, the more you feel comfortable.

“The big games are the games I enjoy the most because it’s when everyone is watching and it’s when you can prove yourself against the best players.

“Confidence is a massive thing in football and in any sport.”

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Akanji has featured in eight of City’s nine Premier League games so far this season with only Liverpool and Nottingham Forest currently boasting a better defensive record in the top flight.

For the Swiss, that success comes from hard work off the pitch with all of his team-mates, not just City’s defensive unit.

Some of the centre-half’s greatest assets are his pace, power, and anticipation which explains why he’s one of the finest one against one defenders in the Premier League.

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And the 29-year-old has outlined how he’s been able to excel in those circumstances.

He added: “In a one against one situation, it’s about trying to bring the attacker somewhere he is not comfortable.

“Obviously, always trying to keep them away from the goal – even if it’s outside and a hard angle for them to shoot, you try to keep him there rather than letting them go back inside.

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“It always depends on where it is – you can play more aggressive if you are far away from the goal.”

On City’s collective unit, he added: “It starts in training – you need to have the confidence in each other, not only with the goalkeeper but the whole team.

“The whole team needs to work together – obviously we are the closest to the goalkeeper so we as the backline try to keep everything away from them, but also still knowing that they are behind us and trying to make their job as easy as possible.”