Manchester City’s John Stones: The Pique of the English Premier League

Manchester City defender John Stones has expressed that he sees some similarities between himself and former Barcelona center-back Gerard Pique. Despite joining City in 2016 under the management of Pep Guardiola, who previously coached Pique during his time at Barcelona, it was during his time with the Barnsley youth team that Stones began to admire Pique as the team aimed to emulate the playing style of the La Liga giants.

Stones recalls watching Barcelona games with his youth team to learn from their style of play and particularly admired Pique as he grew up. He notes that there are similarities in stature between himself and Pique, despite Pique being slightly taller. Stones admires Pique’s courage on the field and his ability to play in tight areas, traits that he has tried to incorporate into his own game over the years.

Having had the opportunity to work with Guardiola for the past eight years, Stones has been able to learn from one of the best managers in the world. Guardiola’s tactical knowledge and experience with players like Pique have helped Stones develop his skills on the field. In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast, Stones expressed his admiration for Pique’s performances on the biggest stages for both club and country, acknowledging the similarities he sees between their playing styles.