When I was growing up, I adored Pique

Manchester City defender John Stones has mentioned that he sees some similarities between himself and former Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique. Stones joined City in 2016 under the management of Pep Guardiola, who previously coached Pique during his time at Barcelona. However, 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 recalled watching Barcelona games with his youth team to learn from their style of play, and he particularly admired Pique as he was growing up. He noted that there are similarities in stature between himself and Pique, despite Pique being slightly taller. Stones admired 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. 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. Stones discussed these parallels in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast.