City’s ‘Little Devil’ makes a statement

Claudio Echeverri's dedication on the training ground paid off in spectacular fashion as the 19-year-old Argentine scored his first goal for Manchester City in style-- a stunning free-kick-- during their 6-0 rout of Al Ain in the Club World Cup on Sunday.

Nicknamed the 'Little Devil', Echeverri made his first start for City and wasted no time in making it memorable. With City already 1-0 up, the attacking midfielder stepped up confidently over a free-kick on the edge of the area and curled a sublime shot over the wall and into the top corner.

Echeverri, who joined City from River Plate in January, is already drawing comparisons to Argentine legends Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona due to his low centre of gravity, close control, and creative flair-- attributes that have marked him as one of Argentina's brightest young prospects.

City boss Pep Guardiola was full of praise for the teenager's work ethic, revealing that Echeverri has been relentlessly honing his free-kick skills behind the scenes.

"Since he arrived, for the last three or four months, he's been staying after training to practise free-kicks — alone, with the 'keeper, with the wall," Guardiola said. "Work pays off. At the end, he had the courage and quality. It's like golf or basketball — the more you practise, the better your chances."

Echeverri made his City debut in the FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace in May but looked far more assured this time before being subbed at half-time due to a minor ankle issue.

"It was a fantastic goal. He's incredible in tight spaces," Guardiola added. "It's a shame he couldn't continue, but he showed how good he is."
Late strikes from Oscar Bobb and Rayan Cherki added gloss to the scoreline, bringing City level on points with Juventus at the top of Group G. However, Guardiola's men trail the Italians on goals scored, meaning they must beat Juve on Thursday in Orlando to avoid a likely clash with Real Madrid in the next round.

Still, Guardiola remained unfazed: "Sooner or later, we'll face top teams. We're in the next phase-- that's what matters."