Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has spoken about Rayan Cherki's showboating, praising the winger's quality while stressing the need for balance in his game. The comments came after Cherki's performance against AEK Athens, where his tricks and flicks helped create City's third goal.
Praise with a caveat
Maresca paused when asked about Cherki's tricks, a hesitation that echoed Pep Guardiola's occasional discomfort with such flair. While the manager appreciates Cherki's creativity, he acknowledged that trying to remove that side of his game could reduce the player's output.
"I like when the players are happy, for sure, 100 per cent," Maresca said. "But I also like simple things. I think the most difficult thing in football is to do the easy things, don't complicate. But sometimes you have players that are so good, like Rayan, that they need to do that."
Finding the right position
Maresca emphasised that Cherki's love for the ball is something he will not remove from his skills. "But also we need to find the right balance," he added. "When he's in the right position inside the box, he creates chances for himself or scores goals."
The manager noted that Cherki's numbers in goals and assists are "fantastic" and that finding him in the right position is crucial for the team's success.
A top player among many
Maresca, who previously managed Leicester and Chelsea, prefers winning 1-0 over 5-3, and he wants all his players to be in the right positions to receive the ball. "Rayan is a top player but we have another 20 top players so they are all different," he said.
"I think Rayan in this moment is one of the best players in Europe when he is in the right position," Maresca continued. "Sometimes because he loves the ball and he loves to move a lot, most of the time it's out of position but when he is in the right position it's always a weapon for us."
