City wonderkid a doubt

MANCHESTER City’s latest sensation, 19-year-old Claudio Echeverri, will in all likelihood not face Italian giants Juventus in their Fifa Club World Cup match tonight at 9pm.  

Echeverri announced himself on the big stage with a well-taken free kick in City’s 6-0 win over Al Ain on Sunday, before leaving the field with an ankle injury. 

Reports in the US say he could be seen wearing a moon boot at City’s training session ahead of their Juve tie. 

It is not only a blow for City coach Pep Guardiola, but also for fans who wanted to see more of the wonderkid. 

Guardiola said of the young Argentine’s strike: “I want to tell you something, so since he arrived [in January], the [last] three or four months with the lads, at the end of the training session, he was practising the free-kicks alone, with the keeper, with the wall.

“The others, they didn’t practise, he was practising and practising, and work pays off.

“So at the end, he had the courage, the quality. When you practise, you know, it’s like golf or like basketball, as much you practise free shots, the more chances you have.”

Echeverri, nicknamed the 'Little Devil', joined from Argentine giants River Plate and made his City debut in May, in the FA Cup final defeat by Crystal Palace.

Both City and Juve are already through to the knockouts and will look to win this match to top their group and get an ‘easier’ match in the playoffs.