Manchester City hammered Al-Ain 6-0 to continue their winning streak in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup as they reach the knockout round of the tournament.
Ilkay Gundogan stepped up with a brace while Claudio Echeverri grabbed most of the headlines with a fantastic free kick. Erling Haaland, Oscar Bobb and Rayan Cherki also joined the party with goals.
After the game, Pep Guardiola was delighted with his players following the dominant performance. He handed debuts to Rayan Ait-Nouri and Echeverri, and both players delivered great performances.
Echeverri, specifically, was the player who got the limelight and deservedly so, as the Argentine winger scored a sensational free kick. Similarly, Ait-Nouri also impressed the Spanish tactician with his rampaging runs down the left flank.
“We knew it. A talent, within the final third, a lot of talent. Defensively, he can play outside, he can play inside, and in the final third, he’s so clever. Really good,” Guardiola stated about Ait-Nouri.
It was also a great outing for Gundogan, who scored two crucial goals amid speculations of him leaving City this summer. “Gundo’s an exceptional player! Exceptional in all senses. He’s really, really good and made a fantastic goal, he reads what we have to do every game. I’m really pleased,” Guardiola added.
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What did Guardiola say about Echeverri’s injury?
Echeverri got every Manchester City fan excited with his stunning free-kick goal in the first half. But things went downhill when Guardiola was forced to substitute the 19-year-old after he suffered a knock before the second half.
“It’s a pity for the twist. It’s just a little bit sore … I want to tell you a secret. Last season, when he arrived, after every training session, he practised free kicks alone. So work pays off. If he scored a goal, it’s because he practised. When other guys don’t practice, they don’t score.”
The 19-year-old joined City in January 2024 on a four-and-a-half-year contract, but he returned to River Plate on loan for the last season. He has now returned to City, and this was his first full debut for the club.
Before this, he had made cameo appearances for the Citizens in their 1-0 defeat against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final. He also featured in the Premier League clash against Fulham when he came on for Haaland in the 85th minute.
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