فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Manchester City, the reigning UEFA Champions League winners, are gearing up to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup starting Wednesday, with their opening match against Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia, marking a fresh start after a disappointing season.
After years of consistent success, winning at least one trophy each season since 2016-2017, Manchester City under coach Pep Guardiola endured a challenging campaign. The team was eliminated in the Champions League qualifying playoffs by Real Madrid and finished third in the English Premier League, far behind champions Liverpool.
The team’s struggles were exacerbated by injuries to key players such as Rodri, Mateo Kovacic, and Ruben Dias, as well as the aging of core veterans like Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker, which affected overall performance.
The Club World Cup presents an opportunity for Manchester City to rebuild confidence and momentum. After facing Wydad Casablanca, City will play Al-Ain from the UAE on June 22, followed by Juventus on June 26.
Guardiola emphasized the importance of the tournament, stating, “This is a very, very serious competition. The whole world will be watching, and I can assure you we will give everything. We are here to win.”
Manchester City arrived at their training base in Boca Raton, Florida, with four new signings totaling nearly €117 million: English goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, Algerian defender Rayan Aït-Nouri, Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, and French forward Rayan Cherki.
These additions follow a winter transfer window spending spree of €202 million, bringing in Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, and Nico Gonzalez.
Meanwhile, Kevin De Bruyne transferred to Napoli, Kovacic is sidelined with an Achilles injury, and Jack Grealish was not included in the Club World Cup squad and appears to be on his way out.
Rayan Cherki, signed from Lyon for €42 million, is one of City’s most exciting new talents. The 21-year-old, who won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, was the top assist provider in Ligue 1 last season and made a stunning debut for the French national team by scoring a brilliant goal against Spain in the Nations League semifinal.
Cherki said, “When you see Rodri winning the Ballon d’Or, it’s clear that anything is possible at Manchester City. I’m here to win every competition. It’s great to play in my first Club World Cup, and I want to make a good impression.”
Guardiola is also counting on the return of Rodri, the midfield metronome who scored the winning goal in the Champions League final two years ago. After suffering a cruciate ligament injury last September, Rodri made his comeback on May 20 in the Premier League and could be pivotal in restoring City’s top form.
With these changes and reinforcements, Manchester City aims to move past last season’s disappointments and write a new chapter of success at the Club World Cup, fueled by fresh talent and high ambitions.
