Laporte: "I'm playing less of a leading role"

Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte said he is playing "less of a role" this year but is happy with the team's victories as they won their second title of the season on Saturday by beating Manchester United in the FA Cup final.

The Spanish defender was a first-choice starter for City until a knee injury sidelined him at the start of the season and has seen him spend more time on the bench than off it. "I'm playing less but I'm happy with the team's victories," Laporte told the media in the mixed zone at Wembley.

The centre-back, who came on late on to replace Kyle Walker, said everyone is "very excited" about the possibility of winning the treble next Saturday, but added that they have yet to achieve it. "In the society we live in, titles matter, not really what you show on the pitch. Many times we have shown we are better than many others and in the end if you don't win it you look worse. We know what we are.

On whether the accusations of financial doping have served as motivation for the players, Laporte explained that it has not affected them "at all" and that the club has been "very calm" since the information came to light: "They told us to think only about football and we believed them when they told us".

 

June 3, 2023