Giorgio Chiellini: 'Pep Guardiola-style tactics ruining Italian football'

Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini has claimed that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola's style of play is ruining Italian football.

The Spaniard's fluid, interchangeable, attacking tactics have been adopted by Serie A sides such as table-topping Napoli, and the veteran centre-back believes that this has had a negative impact on the game.

"Guardiolismo has ruined Italian defences," the 33-year-old told Tuttosport. "Now all the defences know how to organise themselves, but they don't know how to mark the striker.

"When I was young they trained me to feel the man, mark them well in the box – now that doesn't exist.

"Now Italian defences leave everyone free. It's a pity we've lost the essence because although we need talents, we have to keep some things the same.

"We cannot play tiki-taka, it's not part of our DNA."

City met Napoli in the group stage of the Champions League earlier this month and defeated them 4-2 to book their place in the next round.