Manchester City : Guardiola impressed by Cherkis boxing skills

Juba Touabi, Media365: published on Monday, May 4, 2026 at 2:45 PM

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola did not hide his surprise after a video of his French striker Rayan Cherki was posted on social media.

During a press conference, Pep Guardiola was asked about a sequence shared by his young striker on Instagram, showing the player training in boxing. This was an activity that the Spanish coach was previously unaware of, and it left him quite impressed. “Yes, he’s boxing on Instagram. It surprised me. I didn’t expect that,” he said, amused by the discovery.

Cherki impresses off the field as well

Still smiling, Pep Guardiola jokingly hinted that the French player’s qualities extend beyond the field. “I won’t argue with him anymore, he will play every match (…) It’s frightening,” he said. This is a way to maintain camaraderie with his team. While this comment should not influence his sporting decisions, it does highlight Guardiola’s attention to his players.

Joining City in June 2025 from Olympique Lyonnais for 36 million euros, Rayan Cherki is having a very good first season in England. In 46 matches across all competitions, he has scored 10 goals and provided 13 assists. He is undoubtedly one of the standout performers in the squad since the start of the current season.