Guardiola on Cherki's Pass: "Even Messi, the Best Player in History, I Haven't Seen Do That Move"

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola heaped significant praise on French midfielder Rayan Cherki for his skillful 'Rabona' assist, which led to Phil Foden's third goal in the 3-0 victory against Sunderland in the Premier League.

Guardiola stated that he had never even witnessed Lionel Messi, whom he considers the greatest player in the history of the game, execute such a pass.

“I haven't seen Messi play and send a cross in this way… Messi is the best player in history, and I've never seen him make such passes,” Guardiola said.

Despite his admiration for Cherki's skill, Guardiola emphasized that effectiveness remains paramount, regardless of whether the ball is played with the right foot, left foot, or even the head. “It doesn't matter if the pass is with the right foot, or the left, or part of the foot, or the head, it doesn't matter. If it's effective, that's the most important thing,” he added.

However, the Spanish coach then recalled a philosophy that has shaped many of his ideas, inspired by Messi: the reverence for simplicity and the flawless execution of fundamental actions. “What I learned from Messi is that he never made mistakes in simple things… never. Everything simple he performed perfectly, and then after that, he would dribble past four or five players,” Guardiola explained.

Guardiola clarified that he grants his players the freedom to be creative, but only on the condition that they first master the basics. “I want players to master the simple things. After that, if someone wants to perform a 'Rabona' pass, that comes down to a talent given to them by their father or mother. Whoever possesses it (the talent) can do whatever they want. But if the attempt doesn't succeed… it will be a problem, and they will find themselves in trouble,” he concluded.