Micah Richards may be more famous these days for his excellent work as a television pundit, but he was also a solid professional footballer for a while and played at the top of the sport with Manchester City. The second half of his career saw him struggle and it's those poor years with the likes of Aston Villa that have left a lasting impression on fans, but he was a promising young star early in his playing days. He won a Premier League title with City and even competed in the Champions League during his time with the club.
It was during that time that he faced off against Franck Ribery and Bayern Munich. During an episode of the Match of the Day Top 10 show, he shared an anecdote about the experience of playing against the Frenchman. Shortly before facing off against the Bundesliga side, Ribery asked about Richards and wasn't even aware of who he was. He then proceeded to destroy the full-back throughout the game.
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According to the pundit, it was largely down to how little help he received from one of City's all-time greatest players, David Silva.
Richards Accused Silva of Not Helping Against Bayern
He admitted he loved playing with James Milner
David Silva and James Milner
Playing against Bayern is never easy, but it was particularly tough for Richards. He admitted that Ribery dominated him during the Champions League contest. He couldn't quite handle the forward, but had little help from his teammates, he revealed. Silva, who played just ahead of the Englishman didn't track back and help, according to Richards. Despite his incredible offensive ability, the former full-back said the Spaniard didn't offer much help defensively.
"In the game, he [Ribery] destroyed me, but I didn't have any help from David Silva. Zero help. He didn't want to track back at all."
Playing with a midfielder in front of you who offers help defensively and tracks back can be huge for a defender and that's why Richards appreciated James Milner. The former Liverpool man played with the Englishman at City too and has earned a reputation for his impressive workrate over the years. No matter where they are on the pitch, the midfielder is always giving it his all. Speaking on the Match of the Day Top 10 show, he said: "That's why I used to love playing with James Milner because he just helped me out so much."