Benjamin Mendy has revealed how he used his season on the sidelines to learn about the tactical side of the game thanks to Pep Guardiola and his coaching staff.
France international Mendy had to sit out the majority of Manchester City's title-winning campaign in 2017-18 after sustaining a serious knee injury last September.
However, the defender did not waste his time while recovering, watching his team-mates play while gaining a new perspective on proceedings from a side-on view.
The 24-year-old also made the most of the opportunity to quiz manager Guardiola, as well as assistant Mikel Arteta, to help broaden his knowledge of the game.
"It's not easy to be on the side, to wait and to see every game," Mendy told Sky Sports.
"When you see the team play very, very well, you want to jump on the pitch with the players, but you can't.
"So every day I'd wait, I'd stay with the team all the time. I didn't want to be back home.
"I watched every game and would get some tactical lessons, because when you see the game from the side of the pitch, you learn a lot. I'd look every game, every time.
"Afterwards sometimes, I'd ask Pep or Mikel a question and they would explain to me some good work."
Mendy is now able to help his team-mates on the field, however, and has impressed for City at the start of 2018-19, particularly after such a lengthy spell out of action.
The left-back's attacking abilities have added a new dimension to a squad that sparkled last season under Guardiola, who manages to motivate the players with his passion for football.
"The manager has made football feel so, so good. But he works every time, every day. I don't think he sleeps," revealed Mendy.
"Every time football, football, football. When he speaks you feel he loves his job, he loves to work to find the solution and when you see this and hear him speak, you look at him and you want to give everything on the pitch for him."
