Rayan Cherki targets revenge on Manchester United as he begins City adventure
Rayan Cherki has said he is waiting for Manchester City to play Manchester United next season so he can 'kill' his new team's fierce rivals.
Cherki was part of the Lyon team that endured a 7-6 aggregate defeat by United in the Europa League quarter-finals this past season, the 21-year-old making a rude gesture towards the home fans after scoring at Old Trafford to give Lyon a 5-4 lead.
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The forward signed for City in a £30.5m deallast week and – in the lead-up to his first game for the club, against the Moroccan side Wydad on Wednesday – he was asked if his provocative act has already made him popular with the City fans. 'Yes,' the 21-year-old said. 'I didn't like it when Manchester United won the game because I'm a Lion [a Lyon player]. And now I wait for the game to kill them.'
Related: Natural entertainer Rayan Cherki ready for test of maturity at Manchester City
Cherki can operate as a wide-right player or a No 10 and will be one of the players Pep Guardiola asks to fill the void left by Kevin De Bruyne. But the Frenchman said: 'I'm not Kevin De Bruyne – he's the legend. I'm here to help the team and take it game after game and I hope I win all the time with the team. Pep told me he loves the No 10 position, but now I am ready to play all positions on the pitch – it's not complicated, I just want to play.
'I spoke with Pep about my position and we spoke about what I enjoy when I'm on the pitch. It's very good for me. Pep told me: 'When you have the ball, you are free,' which is good because it's my first [best] quality to help the team.'
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Cherki explained why he signed for City. 'When I spoke with Pep he was very clear – about the [playing] system, the club, the city. And I want to win and I think Manchester City wants to win it all. For me that's good.'
The Frenchman has said that one personal ambition is to claim the Ballon d'Or and he pointed to the fact a Manchester City teammate is the holder of the award as an inspiration. 'When you see how Rodri won the Ballon d'Or here, it's clear that with Manchester City it's possible to do so and I am here for this,' he said.
After playing Wydad at Philadelphia's Lincoln Field on Wednesday, they face Al Ain and Juventus in their other Group G games. Cherki said: 'I'm ready for this because I want to win all of the competitions – and it's very good to play the first [revamped] Club World Cup in history.'
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Getty Images HT Bayern Munich 6-0 Auckland City Shots Bayern Munich : 15 : 15 Auckland City: 0 Shots on goal Bayern Munich: 9 9 Auckland City: 0 Possession Bayern Munich: 53% 53% Auckland City: 36% 36% In contest: 11% Passes completed Bayern Munich: 368 368 Auckland City: 137 Fouls committed Bayern Munich: 8 8 Auckland City: 2 Offsides Bayern Munich: 1 1 Auckland City: 1 Corners Bayern Munich: 4 4 Auckland City: 0 Imagn Images They're an amateur side from New Zealand whose home stadium holds 5,000 fans, most of whom stand, and whose costs to this competition ran to over twice the club's annual turnover. But Auckland City are actually a Club World Cup veteran. This is the 13th time they have qualified and the twelfth time they have taken part (they were unable to attend during the pandemic) and they are here by virtue of being the champions of Oceania — that is: winners of the OFC Champions League. 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