Claudio Bravo has confirmed losing his starting place at Barcelona prompted him to push through a move to Manchester City.
The 33-year-old Chilean joined City in a £17.1m deal from the Catalan giants on August 25 and has quickly established himself as Pep Guardiola’s first-choice goalkeeper.
The former Real Sociedad stopper had occupied the same role for Barcelona manager Luis Enrique in La Liga for the past two seasons with Marc-Andre ter Stegen playing the role of cup keeper. Naijabet.com
He started this season in the Barcelona side as Ter Stegen returned from injury but was informed by Enrique that he would drop to the bench once the German international returned to fitness.Bravo was offered a new contract by Barcelona but he made it clear he did not want to sit on the bench at this advanced stage of his career.
“It was not me that was [first] at Barca, it was Ter Stegen,” said. “The club made me an offer to renew but, seeing their plans, I also made them understand my position.
“I was very sincere; I did not want to sit on the bench. It’s not my thing. And they understood. In Barcelona I always devoted myself to doing my best, I always felt the support.”
Bravo also refuted reports he had a contentious relationship with Ter Stegen as the pair battled it out to become Barca’s number one, insisting the competition brought out the best in both of them.
“What appeared in the press – that we had a bad relationship and things were uncomfortable at the end – was not true,” Bravo added. “It was never a problem, indeed, we both always benefitted from the competition.”
