Pep Guardiola has lavished praise on Rayan Cherki, calling the young Frenchman one of the biggest talents hes ever seen in his career. The Manchester City boss spoke ahead of their crucial Champions League clash with Villarreal on Monday, October 20, 2025, describing Cherki's ability as technically and individually top. The comments come just days after Guardiola's remarks on Erling Haaland's commitment to City, as reported by Softfootball .
Guardiola, who has coached some of the greatest playmakers in modern football, like Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, and Xavi Hernandez, said Cherki has a special spark. He explained in an interview shared by Fabrizio Romano on his official X account :
The manager's confidence in the 22-year-old mirrors his calm response to recent injuries in the squad, including Rodri's setback, which Softfootball earlier reported ahead of City's double test against Villarreal and Aston Villa .