Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola gave high praise to young French talent Rayan Cherki during his latest press conference, even comparing his skill to Lionel Messi. The reason behind this comparison was Cherki's stunning rabona-style assist in a 3–0 victory against Sunderland, which left spectators amazed. His pass led to a crucial goal scored by Phil Foden.
Guardiola highlighted Cherki's development as a significant figure in football and emphasized his ability to influence the game despite his young age:
“Rayan is an exceptionally talented player. He maintains composure even in challenging situations. His special moves in the attacking line are just a part of his true capabilities. However, the quality I respect the most isn’t his technique,” the coach stated.
Pep paid special attention to Cherki's rabona:
“I’ve never seen a rabona like that! I can’t recall Messi making such a pass either. Messi performs simple things to perfection, then dribbles past 4–5 players. Cherki also has that natural talent. There’s still a lot of room for him to grow and unlock his full potential.”
Guardiola also highlighted the expectations placed on young players:
“First and foremost, I require players to execute simple tasks flawlessly. If they can do that well, they can then showcase their special talents. Otherwise, problems arise,” he noted.
It should be remembered that Rayan Cherki joined Manchester City at the start of this season for £30 million. In his debut season, he has already provided five assists, emerging as one of the team's leaders in this category.
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