Pep Guardiola: Matheus Nunes not clever enough to play in midfield

Despite arriving at Manchester City from Wolves for 53 million pounds in August 2023 as a replacement for Ilkay Gundogan, Nunes has found himself in an unfamiliar position - literally.

While the Portuguese midfielder has been a regular in City's midfield since his move, Guardiola's ongoing quest for a dependable right-back has seen Nunes shift to full-back, especially following Kyle Walker's temporary departure to AC Milan. This tactical change came to light in Sunday's goalless draw against Manchester United, where Nunes was deployed at right-back.

In his post-match comments, Guardiola dropped a bombshell, claiming Nunes lacked the "cleverness" needed to excel in midfield. Instead, he pointed to the player's physical attributes and defensive potential as better suited for a full-back role.

"Matheus has incredible physicality, and he's adapting well to this new position," Guardiola said after the match. "He's not really a player who thrives in midfield, as his composure and awareness in that role need work. But he's learning, and I think he can be a very good right-back for us."

Guardiola further highlighted how Nunes' physicality and focus have helped him make key defensive interventions, citing his successful challenges against crosses from United's Bruno Fernandes.

"He defended really well two or three important crosses, especially when Bruno put one to the far post for (Patrick) Dorgu. It's a key skill for full-backs, and Matheus has that awareness," Guardiola explained. "He's starting to get the hang of it."

The shift in roles comes amid City's ongoing search for a reliable right-back option. Though the club brought in young defenders Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis during the January transfer window, Nunes has been favored in recent weeks, often starting ahead of both.

Reflecting on the transition, Guardiola admitted he didn't anticipate Nunes making the move to full-back so smoothly. "If you had told me at the start of the season that Matheus would be playing right-back, I might have been surprised," Guardiola said. "But football is about adapting, and he's doing just that. The back four against United was solid, with Ruben (Dias) leading the way, and that's what we build from."

Nunes' unexpected evolution from midfielder to right-back highlights Guardiola's ability to adapt players to new roles, turning potential weaknesses into strengths. It remains to be seen whether this new position is a permanent shift for the Portuguese international or just another of Guardiola's tactical experiments.