SPORTSWORLD.AM
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has praised the dedication of teenage attacking midfielder Claudio Echeverri in training after he scored a stunning free-kick in Sunday's Club World Cup match against Al Ain. The 19-year-old scored City's second goal in a 6-0 win over the UAE in Atlanta that sent the Premier League club into the last 16 of the expanded FIFA competition.
Others didn’t train, he trained and trained and the work paid off. “So in the end he had the courage, the quality. When you train, you know, it’s like golf or basketball, the more you practice your free kicks, the more chances you have.” Echeverri, who is nicknamed “The Little Devil”, joined from Argentine giants River Plate and made his debut for City in the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace in May. Guardiola took him off at half-time to replace Phil Foden, later explaining that the playmaker had a minor injury. “It was a fantastic goal, he’s an incredible player in small spaces,” the City manager continued. "Unfortunately he couldn't continue the season (due to an ankle problem), but yeah, he was really good in the first minutes and... he scored a fantastic goal, the free kick was really, really, really good."
Two late goals from Oscar Boby and Ryan Cherki saw City close in on Group G leaders Juventus. They are level on points with the Old Lady but behind them on goals scored, meaning City must beat Juventus in Orlando on Thursday if they are to top the group and possibly avoid Real Madrid in the last 16. “With one goal we would have had two options. Now we only have one, maybe it will be better,” Guardiola said. “The important thing is that we are in the next round... (we will soon face) the best, the best teams, so it is not a big concern. “We will (eventually) see the Brazilian teams, the top teams in Europe, so it is not a big concern.”