Jens Lehmann has claimed that Manchester City are too boring to play in the Champions League, The Telegraph reports.
The former Arsenal goalkeeper was a beaten finalist in 2006 when Arsenal lost 2-1 to Barcelona in Paris and knows the Champions League well. Lehmann’s recent comments have echoed the sentiments of Napoli chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis and Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Lehmann now works as a pundit for German television and criticised the way Roberto Mancini sets up his side for games.
‘Man City play very, very boring football. They just make their opponents fall asleep with lots of possession. But that is not tactically very demanding. The way they play is the way any amateur team plays, only not on such good grass. They just pack men behind the ball, have five against two and just move the ball around. The goal then just comes from a fortunate circumstance’, Lehmann scathed.
City boss Roberto Mancini refused to draw himself into the controversy and just questioned why the former Gunners goalkeeper said such things. Lehmann also criticised the atmosphere within the Etihad Stadium and praised Napoli, City’s opponents in the group, for showing ‘heart and passion’.
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