Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has hit out at the "exceptionally harsh" treatment of new Burnley signing Joe Hart.
The England international, who missed out on the 2018 World Cup, has spent the last two seasons on loan at Torino and West Ham United respectively after being deemed surplus to requirements at the Etihad Stadium.
Schmeichel, who played alongside Hart at Man City, believes that his fellow stopper was not given a chance to impress by Pep Guardiola, but has tipped the Englishman to bounce back.
"I've known Joe for a long time and I think he's been exceptionally harshly treated in many respects," the Denmark icon told Sky Sports News.
"Not just what happened at Man City, where I don't think he was given a chance to prove what he could do, and then the whole England debacle I found that quite staggering at the time.
"But for Joe, the important thing is to get home, stay living at home and get a bit of normality back into his life.
"Two years of uncertainty is tough for anyone and having everyone call your ability into question is bound to be tough. But if there's one thing I know about Joe then it's his mentality, his strength of mind and if anyone can bounce back from that or come through that, it's definitely him."
Hart, who has won 75 England caps, made nearly 350 appearances for City, winning two Premier League titles and one FA Cup.
Giuseppe Labellarte
