In a surprising move during the FA Cup final, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola introduced Claudio Echeverri, a recent acquisition from River Plate, into the squad. Despite the team’s defeat to Crystal Palace, Guardiola stood by his decision to debut Echeverri, who had not previously featured in a matchday squad. The young Argentine was brought on as a substitute ahead of seasoned players such as Jack Grealish and Ilkay Gundogan, making a notable impact with his lively performance.
Pep Guardiola said: “That was not a bad decision, the way he played. 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 or two more like Nico (O’Reilly) did and Kevin and Erling. We had the chances but unfortunately we could not score.”
Guardiola continued: “With 11 players in the penalty box, we created a lot. 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. Southampton they were not. The chance were there but we could not score. It’s football, it happens.”
Echeverri’s debut was marked by a few promising attempts on goal and a booking for a heavy challenge, showcasing his potential despite the team’s inability to convert chances into goals. Guardiola’s decision to field a highly offensive lineup was aimed at countering Crystal Palace’s anticipated deep defensive setup, akin to their previous encounters with Southampton. However, despite creating numerous opportunities, City failed to find the back of the net, ultimately succumbing to Eberechi Eze’s decisive first-half goal.
Guardiola’s reflections post-match highlighted the team’s recent defensive improvements and their ability to generate scoring opportunities, even if they fell short in execution. The manager expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall performance and remained optimistic about the tactical decisions made, despite the lack of silverware this season.
**Tags:** #ManchesterCity, #FA, #FACup, #PlayerDebut, #ManagerInsight, #PremierLeague
