Riyad Mahrez isnāt happy in Manchester because he doesnāt play enough, admits Djamel Belmadi
Riyad Mahrez has made 119 appearances for Manchester City
|Algeria national team head coach Djamel Belmadi has revealed that Riyad Mahrez isnāt happy with his lack of game-time at Manchester City especially over the recent years. The 29-year-old signed for the club in the summer of 2018 but has been in and out of Pep Guardiolaās Cityzens squad since then.
Ever since his Ā£60 million move to Manchester City, Riyad Mahrez has consistently either created or found the net for the Cityzens with 62 goal contributions in 119 games since then. But despite that and the fact that Mahrez has always hit double figures for both goals and assists for the club, the Algerian has struggled to consistently play for the team. Instead, the 29-year-old has found himself in and out of squad with him playing three out of his last five league appearances off the bench.
That hasnāt stopped Mahrez though with the forward netting five goals and assisting two more in his fourteen league appearances so far this season. It includes a hattrick against Burnley and that lack of game-time has seen Djamel Belmadi claim that the 29-year-old āisnāt happy in Manchesterā. The Algerian national teamās head coach further added that Mahrez āis a fighterā who wants to play consistently and that he hopes that happens soon.Ā
āMahrez isnāt happy in Manchester because he doesnāt play often, and heās a fighter who wants to play all the games for his team. I canāt ask him to leave his club to play more in another, Iām not his agent, but the most important thing is for him to keep his fitness and to be ready for the next games of the national team. Heās our captain. I understand the fear of the fans, but, in my view, heās got the ability to bounce back once again. I trust him," Belmadi said, reported Goal.
