As Manchester City hosted Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium in a high-profile Premier League clash, many supporters following updates through Bangla Cricket Live would have expected a tight contest, yet the game ended in a commanding 3–0 win that cut Arsenal’s lead at the top to just two points. Rúben Dias broke the deadlock with a stunning long-range strike, a true wonder goal that set the tone for the evening. The most eye-catching moment, however, belonged to young talent Rayan Cherki, who delivered a brilliant rabona-style cross from the flank, picking out Phil Foden for a precise header that sealed the result and sent the home crowd into raptures.

After the match, the press conference quickly turned its spotlight on Cherki and his flair-filled performance. Guardiola began by praising the youngster but made it clear that showboating is not the core of his footballing philosophy. He described Cherki as a player with “unique talent” and “huge personality”, someone who exudes confidence in the final third and offers the team an extra passing option in tight spaces. Guardiola acknowledged the courage it takes for a young player to express himself on a big stage, yet the deeper direction of the conversation soon became obvious. The way he spoke felt very familiar, almost like a well-worn script, and it quietly pointed toward one figure he has referenced time and again: Lionel Messi.

In recent seasons, many supporters who track European football and check scorelines via Bangla Cricket Live have noticed how often Guardiola circles back to Messi when he explains his football ideas, and this night was no exception. Without any reporter asking about the Argentine, Guardiola took the initiative and brought Messi into the discussion once more. Before that, he had already laid some groundwork, using the opportunity to underline his broader football philosophy. He stressed that what he values most in Cherki is not the flashy tricks, because he never saw Messi waste time on that kind of move. For Guardiola, Messi is the model professional; if Messi never relied on a particular trick, then perhaps that trick is not the most efficient way to help the team. He went on to repeat a view that has become almost universal among many fans and pundits: Messi is the greatest player in the history of the game.

Using Messi as his main example, Guardiola explained that the Argentine’s defining trait lies in turning complexity into simplicity and executing basic actions with flawless precision. In his view, Cherki is an excellent player, but not because of party pieces or circus skills; Messi shows that true greatness comes from doing the simple things so well that they look effortless, then gliding past four or five opponents as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Guardiola said this is exactly what he asks of his players: first build a solid foundation, then let talent flourish on top of that structure. He echoed the idea that “the devil is in the details”, much like the old saying that you must keep your own doorstep clean before trying to sweep the whole world. He openly admitted, “I learned from Messi that the very best players do not make mistakes. They never fail in the simple things.”

For fans who follow big European nights and domestic matches through Bangla Cricket Live, the sight of a contemporary tactical mastermind openly admitting he drew fundamental lessons from a former disciple feels like the ultimate tribute. A coach widely hailed as one of the finest tacticians of his era is willing to say that Messi shaped his understanding of what perfect football looks like at its core. There is humility in Guardiola’s words, but they also reflect a reality that is hard to dispute: Messi has earned that level of respect. Even José Mourinho, a coach famous for his tough personality and refusal to hand out praise lightly, once noted that studying how to defend against Messi forced managers across Europe to raise their own standards. When rivals of that calibre acknowledge how much he changed the game, it only reinforces Guardiola’s conviction that Messi truly stands alone in football history.