Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has backed Alexis Sanchez to succeed at Inter Milan after his forgettable stint at Manchester United.

The Chilean played under the Catalan boss at Barcelona and the duo maintained a healthy relationship, with Guardiola having tried to sign Sanchez before his move to United. The Spaniard still rates the forward highly and has tipped him to succeed in Italy.

“I know him,” Guardiola said according to Goal. “We worked together in Barcelona – I have a special affection [for him] as a player, of course, but especially as a human being. He’s an incredible, humble guy and a fighter.

“Now he has decided to move to Italy with one of the greatest teams in Europe right now with Inter, [who have an] incredible manager with Antonio Conte, and I’m pretty sure they are going to do well.

“I think the way Inter play suits him perfectly. Playing close to Lukaku and, in this position, I think he is going to have a good period in Milan.”

Guardiola also maintained that Sanchez is not solely to be blamed for what went wrong at United last season.

“Football doesn’t depend on one player,” the Catalan coach went on. “You judge it was a failure for Alexis, but there are many reasons.

“They don’t play alone – it’s not tennis, it’s not golf. To play with 10 players against one system, against opponents, against many, many things that are involved in one player performing well in the team.

“I don’t know what happened, I was not there, I will not be there, so that’s why I cannot give my opinion – but I am not thinking it is just for one reason.”