Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has revealed Everton’s Yerry Mina is one of his toughest opponents because of the dirty tactics he employs.
Having taken part in title challenges in England and Germany, numerous Champions League games and big games for Germany at World Cups and European Championships, it’s fair to say Gundogan has come up against some of the best in the game.
That means picking his toughest opponents should be quite the difficult task, with obvious names like Mohamed Salah sure to be at the top of the list.
It seems, though, the German midfielder isn’t too concerned about facing some of the world’s best, and it is actually another resident of Liverpool who he doesn’t enjoy coming up against.
But it is not his skill on the pitch that makes him stand out for Gundogan, rather his ability to utilise the darker tools of the game.
“I also remember Yerry Mina from Everton,” he told SportBILD when asked to name his toughest opponent.
“A tough Colombian centre-back. He’ll use his hands in a tackle, scratch or pinch your back when the referee isn’t looking. I’ve seen him do that once or twice.
“But not so much in a dirty way. He even smiles in your face in a friendly way, which makes him sympathetic in a funny way. I didn’t know how to pinch the back before.”
