Nasri Criticised After Missing Key Champions League Tie Against Barcelona
Samir Nasri’s absence in Manchester City’s 2-1 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League round of 16 has sparked criticism, with pundits and former players questioning the French midfielder’s contribution to the team.
Nasri was notably absent from City’s squad for the crucial first leg at the Etihad Stadium, where Barcelona claimed a significant advantage with a 2-1 win. The result leaves City with a mountain to climb in the return leg at the Camp Nou.
Chris Waddle, former Marseille star and BBC Sports pundit, did not hold back in his assessment of Nasri’s recent form. The ex-England winger drew a sharp comparison to Barcelona’s Andrés Iniesta, suggesting Nasri had not lived up to the standards expected of him.
“Samir Nasri refused to compare himself to Andrés Iniesta, and he did well to do so,” Waddle said. “Against Barcelona, he was more like a Ford Fiesta.”
Waddle’s comments highlight growing frustrations with Nasri’s performances, which have been underwhelming in recent months. Nasri, who has been criticised for inconsistency, missed a chance to contribute to City’s European ambitions when he was left out of the squad for this pivotal match.
Adding fuel to the fire, Didier Deschamps, the French national team coach who has had an ongoing strained relationship with Nasri, made his own sharp remarks. Deschamps, who has excluded Nasri from the national squad in recent years, was once again vocal in his disapproval during an appearance on French radio station RMC.
“If someone who is an example of sincerity and frankness says something to me, I ask myself questions,” Deschamps said. “This is not the case here. The French team continues its life, and rather well, in fact.”
Deschamps’ comments underline the growing divide between him and the midfielder, whose international career seems increasingly distant following his exclusion from France’s squads.
As Manchester City now face an uphill battle to overturn the deficit in the second leg against Barcelona, questions over Nasri’s future, both at club level and in international football, are likely to intensify.
