Leroy Sané has described his return to the Etihad Stadium as a “true homecoming” ahead of Wednesday night’s decisive Champions League clash, revealing the profound impact Pep Guardiola had on his career during their time together at Manchester City.
The Galatasaray winger will face his former club in a high-stakes European encounter, with qualification still unresolved under the new league-phase format. While emotions will inevitably run high, Sané made clear that his respect for Guardiola remains the defining thread of his Manchester legacy.
Sané credits Guardiola with reshaping his career
Speaking to BBC Sport, the Germany international offered a striking assessment of Guardiola’s influence, suggesting the City manager did far more than simply coach him during his four years at the Etihad.
“Pep shows you a different sport entirely. His tactical demands are relentless, but he didn’t just coach me — he evolved me. He completely reprogrammed my footballing brain.” — BBC Sport
Sané described Guardiola as “the definitive architect of modern football”, crediting the Catalan with transforming him from a raw winger into a complete elite attacker. That development culminated during the 2017–18 centurion season, when Sané won the PFA Young Player of the Year award and helped City dominate domestically.
He still views that campaign as the moment he truly arrived on the global stage — an experience that continues to shape his approach as he prepares to face his former manager once more.
Emotional return meets harsh reality
Despite the sentimentality of the occasion, the context is unforgiving. Manchester City head into the final round of Champions League fixtures still uncertain of a top-eight finish, while Galatasaray are also chasing progression from the league phase.
Sané admitted he had hoped the reunion might come under calmer circumstances.
“I’ll admit, when the draw came out, I hoped City might already have secured their spot,” he said. “But now it’s a crucial game for both sides. Facing them at the Etihad with everything on the line doesn’t get more intense than that.”
City currently sit 11th in the standings, while Galatasaray are 17th and aiming to secure a seeded place in the knockout play-off round.
Changing faces at Manchester City
Returning to Manchester has also highlighted how much City have evolved since Sané’s departure in 2020. Only a handful of players remain from his final season, including Rodri, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva and John Stones.
Reflecting on the exits of figures such as Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gündogan, Sané offered a blunt assessment of City’s culture.
“At a club like City, evolution never stops,” he explained. “If you don’t perform at the highest level every week, the club moves forward — with or without you.”
The winger confirmed he has remained in contact with several former team-mates and is looking forward to reconnecting, even if only briefly.
Galatasaray eye European upset
Now settled in Istanbul, Sané spoke enthusiastically about life at Galatasaray and the competitive level of the Super Lig. He believes his current side have already shown they can compete with Europe’s elite, pointing to recent performances against Liverpool and Atlético Madrid.
“In a 90-minute fight, anything is possible,” he said. “If we don’t believe we can win, we might as well stay in Turkey.”
For Sané, the night represents both reflection and defiance — a return to the stadium where he was shaped, and a chance to prove that evolution did not end when he left Manchester.
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