Pep Guardiola has heaped praise on North African football as Manchester City prepare to face Wydad Casablanca in their opening match at the Club World Cup.
Speaking ahead of the Group G fixture, Guardiola said he is fully aware of Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca strengths, particularly their physicality and wing-based attacking style.
“We have huge, huge respect. We saw what we could see of them, how physically strong and how good they attack behind the channels. We have a game plan, we are here to make a good tournament and tomorrow we start,” he said.
The City boss also highlighted the broader rise of football across the continent. “African players have always had outstanding quality—not just physical strength, but also technical skill. Look at the number of North and Sub-Saharan African players thriving in top European clubs. That tells you everything.”
Guardiola specifically singled out Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez, “A good example is Riyad Mahrez from Algeria, Oh my God, what a player. They have incredible players.”
Omar Marmoush is expected to start for the Sky Blues. The Egyptian will be looking to carry over the momentum he ended the season with, which earned him the prestigious Premier League Goal of the Season award.
Manchester City begin their campaign against Wydad Casablanca on 18 June at 7:00 PM Cairo time.
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