Pep Guardiola insists Matheus Nunes is not one of the best players in the world – despite previously claiming he was. The Manchester City boss has backtracked on his old comments about the £53million summer signing.
City signed Nunes on transfer deadline day from fellow Premier League side Wolves. Once City’s interest in the Portugal star became known, he was desperate to make the move to the Etihad.
The 25-year-old made his first start in last Tuesday’s Champions League victory over Red Bull Salzburg. He was rewarded with a spot in the starting XI for the league match against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Guardiola first made his feelings clear on Nunes after City beat Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League in February 2022. Despite Sporting losing 5-0, the Spaniard said afterwards: “I would say that Matheus Nunes is one of the best players in the world today.”
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However, in a savage U-turn, Guardiola now admits he got carried away. Speaking at the weekend, he said while laughing: “Maybe I over-exaggerated a little bit. He’s not.
“He’s a really good player but sometimes… maybe I said this comment after 5-0. But he’s an exceptional player. Exceptional, exceptional player.”
Nunes helped 10-man City beat Forest 2-0 at the Etihad. Goals from Phil Foden and Erling Haaland maintained City’s perfect start to the season.
Guardiola has been impressed by Nunes’ start at the club, even if his overall perception isn’t as high as he first thought. “Really good,” Guardiola said.
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“Sometimes I say stay more calm in the position [but he’s] dynamic. In the game today he’d get the ball, dribble and drop the opponents down.
“He looks like he is never tired because his actions are 15, 20 metres, but we knew it at Sporting Lisbon, has done it as well at Wolves. We asked [Julen] Lopetegui, who is a friend of ours, how is he and all the opinions were really, really good and he’s special as a runner, has good finishing, defensively, can play in two or three positions.
“So yeah, the last two games played against Red Bull and today was a key point, was really, really important.”
City now have four away games in a row across three competitions. They travel to Newcastle for a Carabao Cup clash on Wednesday before playing Nunes’ old side Wolves at Molineux on Saturday ahead of the second Champions League group match at RB Leipzig.
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