Latest news with #Echeverri
Reuters
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Man City's Guardiola demands slimmer squad for next season
May 21 (Reuters) - Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has told the club he wants to work with a tighter squad next season as it troubles his "soul" to leave so many players in the stands when everyone is fit. Regular internationals Savinho, Abdukodir Khusanov and Claudio Echeverri were all unable to find a place in the squad on Tuesday as City beat Bournemouth 3-1. England's James McAtee and Rico Lewis also missed out. City have 28 players in the first team, not counting four who are out on loan, and have one of the most valuable squads in the world with some media reports valuing it at over 1.3 billion euros ($1.47 billion). "I said to the club ... I don't want to leave five or six players in the freezer," Guardiola told reporters after City moved up to third with one match left in the campaign. "I don't want that. I will quit. Make a shorter squad, I will stay." Despite their huge squad City faced an injury crisis late last year, with the side going on a five-match losing streak in all competitions between October-November. They brought in Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis, Khusanov and Nico Gonzalez at a cost of more than $224 million in the January transfer window to help address the problem. But with defenders John Stones and Nathan Ake the only two players currently out with injury, Guardiola said it was "impossible" for his "soul" to keep telling so many players they would be watching the match from the stands. "It is a question for the club. I don't want to have 24, 25, 26 players when everyone is fit. If I have injuries, unlucky, we have some players (from) the academy and we do it," the manager added. Guardiola, who extended his contract with City until 2027 in November, will lead the club as they defend their Club World Cup title next month. ($1 = 0.8825 euros)
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Pep Guardiola admits he understands Jack Grealish's frustration over his lack of playing time at Man City and confirms talks to will be held over winger's future
Pep Guardiola can understand Jack Grealish 's frustration over a lack of minutes and revealed Manchester City will hold talks over his future this summer. Grealish has featured for just 143 minutes across six appearances in the Premier League since New Year and an unused substitute in 11 matches. The 29-year-old was left on the bench during Saturday's FA Cup final defeat by Crystal Palace, untried teenager Claudio Echeverri preferred as they chased the game instead. Ex-Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer claimed that Guardiola's decision not to include the England international signalled the 'end' of his City career and that he needs to move on. 'I didn't talk with him (Grealish),' Guardiola said. 'Even though people don't believe, it belongs to the agents and the club and (director of football) Txiki (Begiristain) in this case as well, both sides. 'What is going to happen, is going to happen. There is not one player in my locker room - and I think all the locker rooms in around the world – who is happy because they don't play. I never, I never see that.' Shearer was forthright on Grealish's prospects at the Etihad Stadium on the Rest is Football podcast. The winger currently earns in the region of £300,000 a week and has always previously been insistent on fighting for his place. 'City didn't deserve to win it, they didn't do enough to win it,' Shearer said. 'You mentioned Jack Grealish. His time is up at Man City, he has to leave. 'For him (Guardiola) to bring a debutant on, a young boy and (Ilkay) Gundogan on when they're desperate for a goal rather than Jack Grealish... his time is up, he's done at Man City, he has to leave. 'For whatever reason, Pep's done with him, he doesn't like him, his time is up it really is.'
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Didn't like' - Pep Guardiola explains Claudio Echeverri decision in Man City defeat
Pep Guardiola defended his decision to hand Claudio Echeverri his Manchester City debut in the FA Cup final. The winter arrival from River Plate had not made a matchday squad before Saturday but earned a place among the replacements ahead of more established teammates and then came off the bench ahead of Jack Grealish and Ilkay Gundogan. Echeverri had a lively cameo, going close with a couple of shots and earning a booking for a heavy challenge in his 25 minutes on the pitch. The young Argentine made more of an impact than Phil Foden, who was brought on at the same time. However, it was still a decision that took many by surprise and City left Wembley defeated after being unable to respond to Eberechi Eze's first-half goal. Guardiola was happy with the performance both from Echeverri and his whole team, just rueful that they could not take any of the chances that they created. READ MORE: Pep Guardiola breaks silence on his Dean Henderson flashpoint as Man City boss maintains VAR stance READ MORE: Man City player ratings vs Crystal Palace with six 5/10s in FA Cup final woe "That was not a bad decision, the way he played," said Guardiola. "He had three chances in small spaces. "I saw him in training sessions since then. Khusanov, Vitor (Reis) and him the last four or five games in the tribune, I didn't like that. "He's moving really well in small spaces, so creative and I thought within the game that the last minutes to find something in these type of games. Dribble once, shoot and score a goal or cross. "He had the first shot that normally he is so clever there and so precise. He had one ore two more like Nico (O'Reilly) did and Kevin and Erling. We had the chances but unfortunately we could not score." Guardiola started a very attacking team expecting Palace to defend deep in a similar manner to Southampton, and felt vindicated by the way the final panned out. He left Wembley feeling a lot better about his team than he did a week ago, only without any major silverware for the season. "With 11 players in the penalty box, we created a lot," he said "In the last month we fixed the problem we had all season defensively and scoring goals. "We gave away a lot of goals and in the last period we were so stable, we conceded five goals in nine games so we were stable, they didn't create much. "I'm not saying it's easy against Southampton and 11 players but we learn for many years we need good crosses, good people in the box. I thought the game would be quite similar to Southampton and that's why we put players in the box with proper wingers. "Savinho was brilliant for the first ten minutes of the second half and Jeremy all game was brilliant, we had Erling and Omar in the box and some actions from Nico arriving. We created much more in that position. "Sometimes it is difficult to come back but the chances were there. Southampton they were not. The chance were there but we could not score. It's football, it happens." --- Here at the Manchester Evening News, we're dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester City coverage and analysis. Make sure you don't miss out on the latest City news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe. You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories. And finally, if you'd rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Talking City podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Olentangy Liberty's Jake Struck recaps OHSAA championship-filled high school career
Echeverri on his conversation with Alvarez and his ambitions at City Claudio Echeverri speaks about the conversation he had with fellow Argentinian Julián Alvarez, who, just like him, moved from River Plate to Manchester City.
Scottish Sun
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Man City give ‘the right-footed Messi' Claudio Echeverri, 19, his DEBUT in FA Cup final having never even made the bench
Watch how close the youngster got to scoring SHOOTING STAR Man City give 'the right-footed Messi' Claudio Echeverri, 19, his DEBUT in FA Cup final having never even made the bench Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MANCHESTER CITY handed 'the right-footed Messi' his debut in the FA Cup final despite never having made the bench for the club. Desperately chasing a late goal, Pep Guardiola turned to the 19-year-old rookie for inspiration. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Echeverri made his debut on Saturday Credit: PA 5 De Bruyne found the substitute unmarked in the box Credit: Getty 5 The youngster had never been named on the City bench before 5 The Argentine's shot didn't trouble Henderson 5 It was a golden chance to bring City level And Echeverri - who was compared to a young Messi by BBC's commentary team - had the chance to draw the score level with a golden chance just minutes after coming on the pitch. The starlet was unmarked when the ball appeared at his feet from only ten yards out after a clever pass from Kevin De Bruyne. He came on in the 77th minute and five minutes later he thought he was about to steal the headlines. In what was one of the standout chances of the whole match, the teenager smashed a shot straight at Palace's Henderson. Any considered placement either side of the keeper could have given De Bruyne an FA Cup final assist in his last chance at silverware for the club before he leaves. The Belgian instead was not able to add to his heaving trophy cabinet. Man City could not get over Palace's early goal and fell to a 1-0 defeat in North-West London. It was a momentous occasion for Echeverri despite the scoreline. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS The attacking Argentine arrived at City in January 2024 - before being loaned back to River Plate for a year. But he had not been given a sniff until the Manchester club faced defeat against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Man City and Crystal Palace staff in furious touchline bust-up as they are forced apart in FA Cup final He had been dubbed a 'wonderboy' on his arrival. The youngster will hope that this appearance is the first of many... and that it will prove to be a rare defeat.
