Pep Guardiola confident Claudio Bravo will be a Premier League success
Friday 6 January 2017 17:59, UK
Pep Guardiola has no doubt goalkeeper Claudio Bravo can establish himself in the Premier League.
The Chilean has had a mixed start at Manchester City since England number one Joe Hart was jettisoned by manager Guardiola earlier in the season.
Bravo, signed from Barcelona for £15.4m to replace Hart in August, was brought in on the basis of his superior footwork but some other areas of his goalkeeping have attracted criticism.
This was further fuelled - although City claimed there was a foul - as the 33-year-old missed a cross prior to a Burnley goal at the Etihad Stadium on Monday.
Guardiola says Bravo does not need other people to tell him how to do his job and is confident he will settle.
"He's intelligent enough, he has experience enough, he was nominated one of the five best keepers in the world," said Guardiola.
"He has experience in Europe, all around the world, in South America, where the intensity of the games is so tough there.
"He realised immediately with these sort of balls into the box he had to be careful. He realises himself.
"It's not necessary to read the newspapers or the comments of the coach saying, 'Go there, be careful here, it's quite different'."
Guardiola claims Bravo is being unfairly singled out when people mention he needs to adapt to the English game. To him it seems other newcomers get an easier ride.
He said: "He has to adapt but all the goalkeepers, central defenders, full-backs and strikers do.
"I know people are focused on Claudio but why does Claudio need to adapt and others don't?
"I see many goalkeepers who had the same problems as Claudio with these balls and when they fight for them. It's not only Claudio Bravo in this way."
