Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola recently outlined how Andre Onana was the difference between preparing to face Inter and Manchester United in successive cup finals
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Man Utd fans welcomes arrival of Onana from Inter
Erik ten Hag has responded to Pep Guardiola’s jibe that Manchester United were a ‘long-ball team’ with the club’s signing of Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana.
Manchester City boss Guardiola had used the goalkeeper to outline the differences between facing United and Inter in successive finals – stating that the Cameroonian’s ball-playing ability and willingness to play out from the back were fundamental to the Italian side’s style.
City completed their treble by beating Inter 1-0 in the Champions League final, a week after they edged out Ten Hag’s side 2-1 in the FA Cup final – a clash in which David de Gea’s flaws were once again on display, in what proved to be his final game for United. Onana has undergone his United medical after the club agreed a £47millon fee with the Nerazzurri.
Guardiola directly contrasted the two goalkeepers and how the Milanese giants would provide a totally different challenge to United, whom he described as playing a ‘long ball’ game because of goalkeeper limitations and utilising their pace in attack.
Ahead of the Champions League final, Guardiola replied when asked by Thierry Henry for CBS Sports on the City challenge of facing a defensive five: “When you make a switch of play, it is more difficult against a back five because they have more width and numbers spread out. But it is not just the structure of having those numbers that makes Inter difficult.
“The goalkeeper, Onana, makes it really difficult to deploy a high press against. You cannot press the goalkeeper properly. They are masters at keeping the ball.”
Ten Hag is familiar with Onana from their time together at Ajax (
Image:
ISABELLA BONOTTO/AFP via Getty Images)
**Have Your Say! Is Onana a big upgrade for Man Utd on De Gea ?Tell us what you think here. **
Guardiola continued, when comparing Inter to United’s approach with an implicit correlation between the goalkeeper: “If you look at United, for example, it is long ball. With Rashford and another one (forward) to run onto.
“But Inter are different, they keep the ball. That is why you have to think about what you have to do. With the ball, Inter are very, very good – that is why they are in the Champions League final. We have great respect and admiration for how they play but we have to find a way to beat them.”
Guardiola had also praised Inter goalkeeper Onana ahead of the final in a press conference: “For the way they play, with the high press, Onana is an exceptional goalkeeper to take the position to build-up. Really, really good.”
