Pep Guardiola hailed Manchester City's record-breaker Rico Lewis after he became the youngest player to score on his first Champions League start in Wednesday's 3-1 win over Sevilla.
A much-changed City team initially fell behind to Rafa Mir's header in their final Group G fixture, but at the age of 17 years and 346 days old, Lewis hammered home to beat Karim Benzema's 2005 record and level the scores.
Lewis' effort kick-started a City comeback, as Julian Alvarez put Guardiola's team in the ascendancy before teeing up Riyad Mahrez to complete the scoring late on.
Speaking to BT Sport after the victory, Guardiola credited Lewis for his intelligence and said City's win showed the future is bright at the Etihad Stadium.
"What a goal, he's a fantastic player. He's so intelligent," Guardiola said of the right-back. "Apart from the skills, he's so intelligent, so clever.
"He understands everything. He made a fantastic goal, high past the goalkeeper, and played really well.
"We have a young squad, we have some older players but it's a young squad. Julian is young but top-class, and Rico, and of course, Sergio [Gomez].
"They played in the Champions League against Sevilla, an experienced team, and for prestige, money, everything, it was important."
Lewis' goal came on the day he became just the fifth Englishman to start a Champions League game before turning 18, after Jack Wilshere, Josh McEachran, Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham.
His strong all-round performance also earned him praise from City defender Ruben Dias, who told BT Sport: "He's an enormous talent. He's been with us a long time.
"For him to get the opportunity of playing practically the full game and to score, you can see his quality. Brilliant things from him, he just needs to keep working.
"At this club it doesn't matter if it's a friendly, the Champions League final, or a game in the groups with everything done. We need to push each other, the same as in training.
"It was one of those games, everything is settled in the group, it's a game in which you need to perform because the rhythm is going with non-stop games."
Julian Nagelsmann to stay on as Germany coach until after 2026 World Cup
Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann has signed a new contract to extend his role until after the 2026 World Cup.
Former Bayern Munich boss Nagelsmann was appointed in September last year as successor to Hansi Flick, who was sacked after a poor run of results.
The German FA said: “The 36-year-old’s new contract runs until the conclusion of the next FIFA World Cup in 2026 in the USA, Canada and Mexico. In September last year, Nagelsmann initially signed a contract up to and including EURO 2024.”
Germany, who are hosting the European Championships in June and July, have won their last two friendly internationals, beating France 2-0 in Lyon and the Netherlands 2-1 in Frankfurt last month.
Nagelsmann said: “It’s a decision of the heart. It’s a great honour to be able to coach the national team and work with the best players in the country.
“With successful, passionate performances, we have the chance to sweep an entire country along. The two victories against France and the Netherlands in March gave a foretaste of this.
“I was very touched by the enthusiasm of the fans. Together we now want to play a successful home European Championship, we are all burning for it.
“After that, I’m really looking forward to the challenge of a World Cup together with my coaching team.”
Nagelsmann began his managerial career aged 28 at Hoffenheim before securing Champions League football with Leipzig, and succeeded Flick as boss at Bayern Munich in 2021.
Lawrence Shankland dreaming of cup glory with Hearts
Lawrence Shankland is allowing himself to dream of adorning his already distinguished Hearts career with Scottish Cup glory as he targets semi-final revenge on Rangers this Sunday.
In less than two seasons at Tynecastle, the 28-year-old Scotland forward has firmly established himself as a hero in the eyes of supporters by notching 56 goals for the Jambos.
But Shankland knows captaining Hearts to their first silverware in 12 years would elevate his status at the club even further.
“It would be amazing,” he said. “You’re allowed to dream when you’re at this stage.
“The semi-final, one step away from a final, it’s obviously something you’re looking at. But you need to concentrate on the task at hand first and if you can get by that, you can continue to dream.
“All trophies help the status of not just me but the full team. You go down as a team that gets remembered if you can get your hands on a trophy so the boys will have that in their heads and that’s what we’ll look to do.
“It’s a great opportunity for us, it’s one we are all looking forward to and we need to go into it with a real positive outlook.”
Shankland was at Hampden for each of Hearts’ previous two Scottish Cup triumphs in 2006 and 2012.
“I was working at the 2012 final (against Hibernian) with Queen’s Park (where he was a young player) handing out the programmes,” he recalled. “And the one before that, against Gretna, I was at Hearts as a kid and got tickets through the club.
“I met the Gretna owner Brooks Mileson outside the ground and got a photo with him. Good memories, so hopefully we can go back this year and get our hands on the cup.”
Hearts’ last visit to Hampden brought a 3-1 defeat to Rangers in the semi-final of the Viaplay Cup in early November.
However, since that setback, at a time when they were struggling in the league, Steven Naismith’s side have found much improved form over the past six months and motored 11 points clear in third place in the cinch Premiership.
“The last time at Hampden we came away with a bit of regret,” said Shankland. “We felt we didn’t really put our stamp on the game and we let it bypass us, which was really disappointing.
“That was something we can learn from though, so hopefully we can implement what we’ve been working on this time.”
While Hearts go into the semi-final buoyed by back-to-back wins over St Mirren and Livingston, Rangers have won only two of their last eight matches in all competitions and have been heavily criticised as their title bid has unravelled in recent weeks.
“Obviously they’ve been going through a wee sticky spell but we know it’s going to be difficult,” said Shankland. “It’s a Scottish Cup semi-final, it’s away from league duty, so they will get a lift from that.
“If you look too much into their form, you could get caught. Rangers are obviously a good team and have been for the last wee while.
“Of course form maybe drops off a wee bit but it’s just the scrutiny of our league and how high the pressure is for the two teams at the top of the league that adds to it.
“I don’t think we can look at it too much. We’ll analyse Rangers as we know them, and the last time we played them at Ibrox, they gave us a bit of a doing (5-0), so that’s something we’ll need to be wary of.”
Arsenal have ‘great’ title chance if they can avoid injuries – David Seaman
David Seaman believes a clean bill of health could be the difference between Arsenal winning the Premier League and falling short this season.
The Gunners are two points behind Manchester City after losing to Aston Villa last weekend but can return to the summit if they win at Wolves on Saturday.
The three-way tussle with reigning champions City and a Liverpool side which are losing manager Jurgen Klopp at the end of the campaign promises to be a title showdown for the ages.
The picture shifts after every round of fixtures and, with just six games remaining, the slightest of margins could determine the destination of the trophy.
Both Arsenal and Liverpool slipped up last week to allow City to lead the way, while Champions League quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich has also hit Mikel Artete’s side.
But, for former Arsenal and City goalkeeper Seaman, Arsenal need to be able to call upon their best players in the closing weeks if they are to win a first league crown in 20 years.
They lost centre-back William Saliba in the run-in last season and were ultimately reeled in by a City side which went on to win the treble.
“Am I confident? Yes, there’s three teams in it and, so long as Arsenal keep their players fit, then we’ve got a great chance,” Seaman said.
“Our squad is not as big as Liverpool’s is and City’s is, but if Arsenal can keep everyone fit and ready, we’ve got a great chance.
“We struggled last year through injuries, but now we’re at a different level at Arsenal, we are contenders whereas before we sometimes celebrated getting in the top four.
“But now we’re in contention every season so that shows the improvement in the team.”
Seaman will once again work with the England goalkeepers as a coach during this year’s Soccer Aid for UNICEF in June.
The 60-year-old collected 75 caps for the Three Lions during his own playing career and has played a role in working closely with current England and Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
David Raya has been Arteta’s first choice since September following his move from Brentford and, while Seaman insists Ramsdale is “too good” to be a back-up goalkeeper, he has been impressed with the Spaniard.
“When David came in, he found it tough, he came from Brentford to play for Arsenal and that is next-level pressure,” he added.
“Plus, he overtook Aaron who was a fan’s favourite, but he’s found his feet now, his distribution at the back is brilliant and Arsenal have got two really, really good goalkeepers – how you keep them both happy, I have no idea!”
:: Soccer Aid for Unicef 2024 takes place on 9th June at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, with tickets available at www.socceraid.org.uk/tickets
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