Former Borussia Dortmund coach: `He won everything at City, I hope he does the same at Inter. He always wants to reach higher. Sommer? A great goalkeeper, underestimated due to his height.`
Lucien Favre, enjoying a tranquil retirement by Lake Geneva in Lausanne, often reflects on the talented players he`s coached throughout his career. Among them, nestled between names like Marco Reus and Mario Balotelli, is Manuel Akanji, whom Favre managed for 85 matches at Borussia Dortmund between 2018 and 2020. This period included two Champions League clashes against Antonio Conte`s Inter in the 2019-20 season. Favre first encountered Akanji when the defender was 23, nurturing him into a ball-playing centre-back with an attacking license, before bidding him an affectionate farewell five years ago. “When I heard about his transfer to Inter, I was delighted. He won everything at City, and now I hope he can repeat that success in Milan,” Favre stated.
What`s your earliest memory of him?
“His incredible work ethic. I arrived in Dortmund in the summer of 2018. Akanji had joined the year before from Basel, and I already knew him – we are both Swiss. Our sporting director told me they had targeted him for his vision of the game. Initially, that statement really struck me.”
Why was that surprising?
“When discussing a central defender, the typical points of focus are usually marking, anticipation, and overall defensive attributes. But with Manuel, his ability to read offensive situations was immediately highlighted. I knew him, but from the very first training sessions, his technical proficiency and tactical awareness truly impressed me.”
With Pep Guardiola, he essentially played in midfield at times.
“Even with me, he would push very far forward, though we`re talking about different team setups. I deployed him both as a pure central defender in a back four and as a wide centre-back in a back three. On some occasions, I even gave him the captain`s armband. He has always been a leader.”
His most memorable performance?
“Against Bayern Munich in 2019. The German Supercup final, which we won 2-0. He marked Robert Lewandowski perfectly; he was impeccable that day.”
With Pavard leaving and Akanji arriving, has Inter benefited?
“We`re talking about two Champions League winners at club level. The Frenchman also won the World Cup as a key player. But if I have to choose one, I`d pick Akanji. So yes, Inter has definitely gained. Furthermore, with him on the field, they possess two tactical assets.”
You`re referring to the wide centre-backs, including Bastoni?
“Exactly. And that`s how [Inter coach] Chivu could potentially make a real difference: both Bastoni and Akanji have the ball-playing skills of midfielders. Manuel is like a computer; with the ball at his feet, he always knows what to do and how to link up with the forwards. His specialty is breaking through opposing lines with the ball and creating numerical superiority.”
Does he perform better as a right-sided central defender or a pure central defender?
“More than the formation, it`s about the interpretation of the role. Naturally, starting from the right gives him more opportunities to push forward.”
Any particular anecdote about him?
“After training, he would always stay an extra half-hour to practice specific fundamentals: one day it would be passes, another headers, or perhaps shots on goal or anticipations. One day I asked him what his ultimate goal was, and he replied with a smile, `Mister, I always want to reach higher and higher.`”
And he certainly achieved that.
“If City won the Champions League, it`s partly thanks to him. It was Akanji who initiated Rodri`s goal. He pushes forward, moves up, spots Bernardo Silva`s run, and plays him into space. This ties back to what I mentioned earlier: he is one of the few central defenders capable of constructing a goal. I`m not just talking about assists, but the entire build-up. In Dortmund, in his first year, we played a back four with Hakimi on the right and Guerreiro on the left – two incredibly fast players. When they pushed high, Manuel became the team`s deep-lying playmaker.”
You also coached Yann Sommer at Gladbach.
“He`s a goalkeeper who is tremendously underestimated due to his height. He stepped in after ter Stegen left and became a vital pillar. If I had to describe him in three words, I`d say personality, reliability, and instinct.”
So, is Akanji a Scudetto-winning signing for Inter?
“Absolutely. With him, Inter has truly fortified their defense.”
