Guardiola describes Man City signing as a 'weapon' - and it's not Haaland!
Karan Tejwani
- 7 Oct 2022 11:10 BST
- 3 min read
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has praised his new attacking signing from this summer, and he’s not talking about Erling Haaland.
Julian Alvarez has also had a positive start to life with Manchester City, and that continued in the Champions League with his goal against Copenhagen.
Although Haaland has earned most of the praise so far this season – and rightly so – Alvarez has been good when given the chance and will be a valuable member of the Manchester City set-up this season.
Now, Guardiola has heaped praise on the young Argentine, describing him as a “weapon” – referring to the threat he brings in attack.
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Guardiola praises Alvarez
Speaking after the win over Copenhagen in the Champions League group stage, which continued his side’s perfect start to the group stage, Guardiola was eager to highlight Alvarez’s qualities.
Guardiola said: “Copenhagen are a team that are able to make intense high pressing, but if we are able to make good movements they will defend deep and in that moment.
“Against these type of teams we need players in the box and, with Erling and Julian, we have this weapon. In these type of games it is so important for the people outside – Joao (Cancelo), Sergio (Gomez), others – to have players there.
“How many times did Bernardo (Silva) arrive at the byline and Julian have the movement? Against teams like that the space in the middle is so minor we have to try to make a movement there and Julian is really good.”
Julián Álvarez in his two starts for Manchester City 🏟
Nottingham Forest: ⚽️⚽️
Copenhagen: ⚽️
Just in case they don't have Erling Haaland 😅 pic.twitter.com/LSYgGR41Sh— LiveScore (@livescore) October 5, 2022
Guardiola then said that while Haaland is the first choice, Alvarez is someone City will rely on plenty this year and will make the most of his talents in the coming years.
“All of us, not just me, are incredibly happy with the goal he scored and the way he played. He’s a little bit behind for the highlights of Erling – that’s normal, Erling is something special – but he’s a guy we rely on incredibly, a lot.
“The way we played since day one was magnificent and, against teams that play so tight, he helped us a lot to have an extra weapon close to the box with this sense of scoring a goal.”
