A seventh goal would have put Man City top of Group G. They are currently tied with Juventus on six points and a goal difference of +8, but sit second due to fewer goals scored (8 compared to 9). Al Ain and Wydad have yet to earn any points.
Based on the round of 16 draw regulations, the second-placed team in Group G is likely to face Real Madrid, who are leading Group H. To avoid Real, Man City must defeat Juventus in their match on 26/6. Man City has lost to Real several times, including a 3-6 defeat in last season's Champions League play-offs.
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Guardiola wasn't entirely happy after Man City's 6-0 win against Al Ain on the morning of 23/6. Photo: Imagn |
Guardiola wasn't entirely happy after Man City's 6-0 win against Al Ain on the morning of 23/6. Photo: Imagn
"We tried our best to score another goal and take the top spot, but we couldn't," Guardiola said. "Now we're focused on the Juventus match. We know what we need to do to finish top of the group."
One of the five Man City players to score against Al Ain was Claudio Echeverri, in his first start for the club. The 19-year-old Argentinian winger curled a free-kick over the wall, leaving Al Ain's goalkeeper rooted to the spot.
"I want to let you in on a secret," Guardiola said. "For the past few weeks, Echeverri has stayed behind after every training session to practice free-kicks. He's very talented and can play centrally or on the wing. He's very intelligent."
Man City signed Echeverri from River Plate in 1/2024 but loaned him back for a year. He made his club debut on 17/5 in the FA Cup final.
Echeverri shared that he idolizes Lionel Messi. Both players are 1.71 m tall, but the Man City talent is right-footed. Echeverri has won the Argentinian league title, the National Cup, the Super Cup with River Plate, and the Bronze Boot at the 2023 U17 World Cup.
Regarding midfielder Rodri's return, replacing Nico Gonzalez in the 61st minute, Guardiola said his player is still unable to play more than 30 minutes per match and needs more time to recover, but assessed it as a normal process. "We missed him a lot. Any team would miss the best player in the world," he said.
Thanh Quy (according to Marca)
