Manchester City got back to winning ways in the Champions League on Wednesday night, beating RB Leipzig 3-1 with two late winners and while praise will obviously be heaped on the goalscorers, manager Pep Guardiola focused more on one man in his post-match press conference: Rico Lewis.
Lewis is still only 18 years old but is already starting to become a more regular first-team player for Pep at fullback and after assisting another lad in Phil Foden for the opener against the German side, his coach had nothing but glowing words for his performance.
Answering media questions after the hard-fought victory, when asked about the Bury-born defender’s display, Guardiola simply began “What a player, what a player. 18 years old.
“I have been a manager for 14, 15 years, training unbelievable players. To find a player like him playing in the pockets, how he has to move in holding midfield, full-back coming inside moving in the spaces – he is one of the best I ever trained by far.”
"He didn't play much but he's going to play a lot"
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola hailed Rico Lewis as one of the best young players he's ever coached, after their 3-1 win at Leipzig.#ManCity#MCFC#bbcfootball
Pep says Rico Lewis is up there with the best has ever trained.
“He is a humble guy, doesn’t talk much”, added Pep but insisted that he “has the appreciation of all his mates.”
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“He didn’t play much this season [still managed six appearances in less than a dozen games into the season]… last season he was a key point and helped us understand what we should do in our build-up. Today was proof again… he hasn’t played as much [yet] but he is going to play a lot.”
The Catalan coach went on to say that “his composure from day one is always surprising” detailing how assistant coach Carlos Vicens suggested bringing him because he can play on either flank.
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“Then he played against Bayern Munich at right-back and I thought this guy is good!”, continued the 52-year-old, explaining how Lewis then began training with the first team and suddenly realised, “Oh, this guy is good!”. Speaking to a TNT Sport reporter after full-time on, he had a similarly amazing reaction:
"Everyone was perfect!" 👌
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was in a great mood after securing all three points at RB Leipzig… with some hilarious praise for Rico Lewis 😅#UCL | @archiert1pic.twitter.com/v8EI5rjwWM
While he may have joked that the academy product might not be the most physical of players when it comes to his stature just yet, he reiterated that he is an “amazing, outstanding player” and to stumble across a player that moves so well in the middle whilst still be so good at defending is “difficult to find”.
Adding that he can also “play in four or five different positions” and is “not scared” on the pitch, he summed things up by saying the youngster pretty much “has everything”. High praise indeed.
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Although the City boss himself held his hands up for possibly overexaggerating in his similarly hyping up new signing Matheus Nunes’ ability last month, Pep insisted that Lewis “deserves all the praise from ourselves and the media”.
You can watch the highlights of City’s 3-1 win over RB Leipzig below:
Featured Image — Manchester City/Rico Lewis (via Instagram)
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Manchester Storm’s record-breaking return to AO Arena goes down a storm with fans
Daisy Jackson
Manchester Storm have made their grand return to the AO Arena, after more than two decades away from their former home.
And it appears the ice hockey craze (which may have been spurred on by a certain Heated Rivalry) is here to stay, with record-breaking numbers piling into the venue for Sunday’s match against Sheffield Steelers.
The AO Arena has now shared that a record crowd of 11,000 fans attended the long-awaited Manchester Storm homecoming last week.
The action has gone down a storm with fans, with plenty of chatter on social media (and videos of a certain fight) doing the rounds.
Manchester Storm’s homecoming has now smashed the record for an Elite Hockey pre-season fixture, with fans travelling from across Manchester and beyond.
As the team enters this new era, bidding farewell to the ‘Storm Shelter’ in Altrincham that’s been their home for a decade, demand for tickets is continuing to grow.
This is the first time fans have been able to see the club on the ice at the AO Arena since 2004, and last weekend they thrilled supporters with a 5-5 draw agains the Steelers.
Manchester Storm is now set to bring approximately 35 games to the city centre each year, providing a regular programme of major sporting events for Manchester and its visitors.
It also brings elite-level hockey back to one of Europe’s largest indoor sporting arenas.
Gemma Vaughan, General Manager at the AO Arena says, “Tonight is a hugely significant moment for Manchester.
“To welcome Manchester Storm back to their former home after more than 20 years, and to do so in front of a record Elite Hockey League crowd, is incredibly special.
“The response from supporters has demonstrated the strength of Manchester’s passion for ice hockey and the demand for world-class sport in the city. We’re proud to be able to provide a home for the Storm as they begin this exciting new chapter.”
Erling Haaland has named his four favourite films… and fans have a lot to say on it
Emily Sergeant
Erling Haaland has answered the all-important question.
The question heard around the world, the question on everyone’s lips, a question that has absolutely nothing to do with football whatsoever… that’s right, he’s answered Letterboxd’s famous question of ‘what are your four favourite films?’.
If you’re unaware of what Letterboxd is, it describes itself as being an ‘online diary platform and app for film lovers’ and it gives users the chance to display their four favourite films at the top of their profile for all to see (and judge).
An extension of this has then been Letterboxd asking celebrities in press junket interviews and on red carpets what their ‘four faves’ are – and it’s gone on to become something of a phenomenon in the film world.
Everyone from massive A-list movie stars, to indie darlings and up-and-coming names have answered this question before, and now (it appears) to be Erling Haaland’s turn.
He’s not the first footballer to be tasked with question though, as the entire Spurs team was ambushed with it by former player – and famously massive cinephile – Alfie Whiteman last year, but it’s fair to say that after the summer he’s had with Norway at the World Cup, achieving international fame in the process, that Haaland is one of the most high-profile to answer it in a long while.
So, what’s on Erling’s list then?
Well, to self-confessed ‘film bros’ out there, you’re not going to find any deep cuts in this selection unfortunately, and you’re probably not going to get any recommendations for movies you haven’t seen before either, but come on, he is only a footballer after all.
Erling Haaland has named his four favourite films… and fans have a lot to say on it / Credit: Letterboxd
First up for the Manchester City striker is a pretty common pick by straight white men, it’s The Wolf of Wall Street, and he doesn’t give much of a reason for it, other than just suggesting: “I think you understand why”.
He then follows that up with Ridley Scott’s classic Gladiator, calling it ‘amazing’, before naming 2004’s epic Troy, and then rounding it out with a Christmas favourite for many, Home Alone, adding that he ‘watched it a lot as a kid, and then again now’.
As for fan reaction to Haaland’s four favourites, let’s just say it’s been mixed.
Among the 1,000+ comments on the Instagram video, you’ll find just as many people called him ‘king’ and saying he has ‘goated’ taste, as you will comments like this: “He has the most male gazed top four in history of Letterboxd.”
Danny Jones -
5th October 2023 
