Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has commended the hard work and dedication of young attacking midfielder Claudio Echeverri following his impressive free-kick goal during the Club World Cup victory against Al Ain on Sunday.
The 19-year-old contributed to City’s commanding 6-0 win over the UAE team in Atlanta, propelling the Premier League side into the last 16 of FIFA’s newly expanded tournament.
In his first start for the club, Echeverri marked the occasion by scoring his debut goal, expertly curving a free-kick over the wall and into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area.
“I want to share something with you; since arriving in January, over the past three or four months, he has been putting in the extra effort during training. At the end of every session, he was out there practising free-kicks, working with the goalkeeper and the wall,” Guardiola told the media.
“While others opted not to practise, he continued to work hard, and it certainly pays off.”
“In the end, he showed both the courage and the quality. It’s like golf or basketball; the more you practice your free throws, the more opportunities you create for yourself.”
Echeverri, affectionately known as the ‘Little Devil’, joined City from Argentine powerhouse River Plate and made his first-team debut in May during the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace, where he was substituted for Phil Foden at half-time due to a minor ankle injury.
“What a fantastic goal it was; he’s an exceptional player in tight situations,” Guardiola added.
“Unfortunately, he had to come off at half-time due to an ankle issue, but he made an excellent impression in those initial minutes, and that free-kick was genuinely outstanding.”
Late goals from Oscar Bobb and Rayan Cherki brought City closer to surpassing Juventus at the top of Group G. They are currently level on points with the Italian giants but sit second due to an inferior goal difference. To secure the top spot in the group and possibly avoid a clash with Real Madrid in the next round, City must defeat Juve on Thursday in Orlando.
“Had we scored one more goal, we would have had two options, but now we only have one. Perhaps it’s for the best,” remarked Guardiola.
“The main thing is that we’re through to the next stage… We will inevitably face the elite teams sooner or later, so it’s not a significant worry.”
“We’ll encounter Brazilian teams and top European clubs eventually, so it’s not a major concern.”
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Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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