Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri admits he struggled to emerge from his form slump last season.
As he prepared to face Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League at the Etihad tonight he described how he brooded alone before seeking help from those nearest to him.
"It was tough for me last season and I wasn't feeling myself," he said. "There was the beef with the journalist after the European Championship, I wasn't involved with the national team and was getting a bad press in France. For months I just refused to speak to anyone.
"I didn't play well for City and lost my place. It was obvious I needed to clear my head. I talked to my parents and my agent, people who mattered to me, but at the time I didn't really want to talk to anyone. Sometimes when you make a mistake you don't want to admit it. That was probably my biggest mistake of all.
"I realised it is never good keeping things to yourself and I began to open up. I talked it over and just decided I should start smiling again and concentrate on doing well what I'm best at, which is playing football.
"As a player and as a person I think I have grown up a lot. I'm not looking for another season like the last one, that's for sure."
