Leroy Sane doesn’t need to be asked about Pep Guardiola specifically to start discussing just how important his manager has been for him since making the move to Manchester City.
The 22-year-old twice praises Guardiola before a question is put to him about the influence the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has had on his remarkable form during the current campaign.
The first references how he chose Manchester City because of a desire to improve on his weaknesses under the guidance of one of the game’s most respected coaches, while the second focuses on how City’s stunning season is largely down to the whole squad understanding Guardiola’s footballing philosophy.
When it comes to the impact Guardiola has had on him individually, you immediately sense that Sane is genuinely grateful for the advice and education he has received from his manager since making the move from Bundesliga side Schalke in 2016.
“For me, he’s the perfect coach,” Sane enthuses. “He sees where your weaknesses are, where you can improve and he tries to teach it and make you better.
“Every young player playing for him, especially us now, the whole team can say ‘he has made me better’ and this is really important for every player.”
But what is it that he’s done for Sane specifically?
“To smell the danger more,” he replies when talking to Sport360º following an intense session in the Abu Dhabi sun on Thursday. “For me, it’s about my position in the game, how I move in his play, what he wants and to look where the space is to help me to stay open in the games and look around.
Leroy Sane receives instructions from Pep Guardiola.
“He has always from day one until now, it doesn’t matter if I improved on something, he can always find a weakness, or even if I do a mistake, he says ‘you have to do it like this’.
“He reminds you how to do it. It’s really good and really important for the young players.”
Sane showed signs of his talent during his first season in the Premier League, netting five league goals. But the Germany international has made huge strides this season, reaching a level that has even surprised him.
He says: “I think for every player it’s really exciting to see how good you can be for yourself. I don’t think everyone is thinking ‘next season I will play better, be better and everything will be really good’.
“You don’t know. You can’t look into the future.
“It’s in your hands to improve more, to work harder and to try to play a good season and that’s what it was for me. I am maybe a little bit surprised that I improved in one year so much so that I could play a better season than before.”
Leroy Sane celebrates a goal against Liverpool.
With the League Cup won – a competition in which Sane netted three times – and the Premier League all but confirmed, City will also believe they can win the Champions League for the first time ever. But there’s another trophy that Sane will understandably feel he has a chance of winning this season.
Just five players have won the Premier League, Champions League and World Cup in their careers.
Sane is trying not to focus on this summer’s tournament just yet, but feels there’s a chance he could add his name to a list that features only Thierry Henry, Pedro, Gerard Pique, Juliano Belletti and Fabien Barthez.
Leroy Sane will be hoping to win the World Cup with Germany this summer.
“I think the Premier League we have almost won it. The next step is the Champions League, where we also have a really good chance. With Germany we are one of the favourites of all of the team,” he adds.
“Right now I’m always just thinking about the Champions League and the Premier League, because that’s what we have to focus on. If you think now on the World Cup, what will happen there, what we are going to achieve it’s not really good, because you’re not focusing on what you should be.”
And Sane knows that if his focus drops, his manager will be on to him. He always is.
