Two men standing, one in a dark suit and the other in a blue sports jacket, with a circular image in the center showing a smiling player in a yellow uniform.
ARGENTINA

El Diablito Echeverri shared the differences between Muñeco Gallardo and Pep Guardiola

Awaiting his official debut at Manchester City, the former River player compared the different methodologies between the two coaches

Just over two months after officially starting his stint at Manchester City, Claudio Echeverri  is still going through the usual adaptation process to the demanding European football. Although he hasn't yet had the opportunity to debut under Pep Guardiola's guidance, he was drafted for the match against Aston Villa, although he was ultimately not included among the substitutes.

Meanwhile, the 19-year-old broke his silence in an interview with the club's official site. In it, he shared how he is experiencing his first weeks in one of the most powerful teams in the world today and revealed details of the conversation he had with Guardiola upon arrival. He also dared to compare the style of the Catalan coach with that of Marcelo Gallardo, his previous coach at River.

A young man sitting in the bleachers of a stadium holds a blue soccer jersey with the name
Echeverri arrived at City at the beginning of the year | La Derecha Diario

"I was very nervous because there are many high-level players, great players with a lot of history," confessed a visibly humble Echeverri.

He also mentioned that Julián Álvarez offered him his support, even though he couldn't coincide in the squad with him due to his transfer to Atlético de Madrid. "In case I ever need something," said the Diablito about the advice and willingness of the world champion.

Two people smile in a locker room wearing River Plate soccer team clothing.
Julián gave him some advice and supports Diablito | La Derecha Diario

Regarding his first contact with Guardiola, the young player explained that the Spanish coach was very open and receptive from the first moment. According to him, Pep told him he was "very happy" to have him on the team. "He told me I could count on him for whatever I needed. I thanked him for the opportunity and that's it, that I'm always available," Echeverri emphasized, still surprised by the welcome.

As for the daily work, Echeverri didn't hesitate to highlight one of the main differences he noticed between his time at River and this new experience in England. In Manchester, according to him, the training focus is entirely on technique and ball control: "a lot of work with the ball; it's all passing, possession, keeping, 'rondo'."

This methodology contrasted with what he experienced in Núñez, where the training was more demanding from a physical standpoint, something he also appreciated. "It's good to have contact with the ball in training. Perhaps at River it was a bit more physical with Marcelo(Gallardo), who knows how to do those things and it's very useful for the matches," explained the attacking midfielder, drawing a constructive comparison between his two realities.

Soccer players perform training exercises on an outdoor field, jumping over colorful stakes under a clear sky.
Echeverri compared both training models | La Derecha Diario
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