Ex-Barcelona and AC Milan star explains why Brighton's Roberto De Zerbi is better coach than Man City boss Pep Guardiola

Boateng spent half a season playing under De Zerbi at Sassuolo in 2018-19. He played 15 times under the Italian manager and scored five goals before he was loaned to Barcelona. The ex-Ghana international, who has now retired, has played for the likes of Jurgen Klopp, Massimiliano Allegri and Ernesto Valverde. While he did not experience life under Guardiola's leadership, he is confident De Zerbi is a better boss.

De Zerbi has risen to prominence thanks to his work at Sassuolo, Shakhtar and Brighton. He replaced Graham Potter at the helm of Brighton in 2022 and guided the club to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League in his first season and they currently sit eighth in the table. Guardiola, meanwhile, has taken City back to the top of the English top-flight after leading them to the European and domestic treble last term.

Boateng told TV Play: "If I had De Zerbi 10-12 years ago, football would’ve been different. I think he will be the best coach of the next 20-30 years. He has been able to improve every single player he worked with, from the understudy goalkeeper to the striker. I worked with him when I was 32 years old and I felt stronger than I’ve ever been. De Zerbi makes you feel really involved, he knew how to coddle me when I needed it, to motivate me when I needed that. He really looks after the human rapport aspect of management and that is fundamental."

He added: "Is De Zerbi better than Guardiola? I say yes."

De Zerbi's Brighton team have not won any of their last five matches in the Premier League and they will hope to turn that form around when they visit Nottingham Forest on November 25. They will then take on AEK Athens in the Europa League with the aim of securing their place in the knockout rounds of the competition.