Pep Guardiola has claimed that a certain young player can play in Manchester City’s senior team.
It seems like Guardiola chose to take certain positives from his side’s latest defeat to Barcelona on penalties.
Ultimately, pre-season results do not necessarily have much of an impact on how a team will play when the actual campaign begins rather than helping the players on tour get in shape ahead of the season.
As a result, Manchester City’s three losses during their pre-season tour of the US should not be viewed as much of a concern.
One reason why Pep Guardiola will consider this current pre-season tour important is to judge whether some of the young players are ready for first-team football.
Pep Guardiola makes fresh Nico O’Reilly claim after Man City get beaten by Barcelona
There is a massive gulf in class between academy football and the senior level. First-team football is extremely demanding, especially for a club of City’s stature from both physical and mental standpoints.
For a young player in particular, the jump to the senior side is expected to be a massive challenge.
However, Pep Guardiola feels Nico O’Reilly is one young player who can play in the first-team for Manchester City, as he scored for his side in their latest draw against Barcelona.
Guardiola said, as quoted by journalist Sam Lee: “He can play with us.”
The Catalan boss also stated: “Normally in the academy, all the players are [short] like Rico Lewis and Oscar Bobb. Now, it’s nice to have [a tall youngster like] Nico [O’Reilly].”
“It’s the work of the academy, we are blessed.”
Huge sign of faith in Nico O’Reilly
O’Reilly has every reason to be over the moon about the praise afforded to him by Pep Guardiola.
The two-time treble-winning coach clearly regards the Englishman as a special talent.
Considering O’Reilly was yet to represent City’s first-team before their US pre-season tour, it is remarkable how much he has impressed Pep Guardiola.
It has taken training sessions and three pre-season games for Guardiola to consider the youngster first-team ready.
At 19, the sky is well and truly the limit for O’Reilly if the Manchester City boss already trusts his talent at such a young age.
