Manchester City Prepares for Barcelona Clash with Training in Orlando
Ahead of their third pre-season friendly against Barcelona, Manchester City held a training session at the Osceola Heritage Park, home of MLS side Orlando City. However, the spotlight wasn’t solely on the City squad.
Kaka Steals the Show
The main attraction at Monday’s training session was Brazilian legend Kaka, who watched intently from the sidelines. Despite retiring in 2017, Kaka remains a magnetic presence in Florida, where he ended his playing career. Fans seemed more eager to catch Kaka’s attention than to watch City stars Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish in action.
Kaka shared a lengthy conversation with Pep Guardiola before the City manager took to the field to oversee training. This encounter adds Kaka to a growing list of sports icons, including Joe Mazzulla, Andre Agassi, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who have interacted with Guardiola during this summer’s tour.
Guardiola’s Media Briefing and Player Insights
Before the training session, Guardiola addressed a packed media room, fielding questions in Spanish, Catalan, and English. He responded to Julian Alvarez’s recent comments about his desire for more playing time in crucial matches. Guardiola’s message was clear: Alvarez should consider his future carefully and communicate his thoughts when ready, though the manager was visibly displeased with the perceived misinterpretation of Alvarez’s words.
Guardiola also expressed support for Jack Grealish, who opened up about his disappointment at being left out of the England squad this summer. Grealish admitted to struggling with the snub and hinted at off-field issues that affected his form last season. Determined to bounce back, Grealish vowed to use this setback as motivation and prove his critics wrong. After training, he signed an Aston Villa shirt for a fan, humorously asking if they still liked him.
Tactical Tweaks and Player Positioning
Training drills revealed potential tactical adjustments, particularly in City’s defense. Josko Gvardiol, back with the squad and fresh off the bench from a game at Yankee Stadium, participated in a positioning drill that suggested a possible new backline configuration for the Barcelona match.
In the drill, Josh Wilson-Esbrand played left-back, Rico Lewis shifted to right-back, and Gvardiol took a central position. Mateo Kovacic, returning from injury, resumed his role at the base of midfield alongside Nico O’Reilly. Surprisingly, Kalvin Phillips, who has struggled in defensive midfield roles, was tested as a center-back. Phillips, who last played this position during his first pre-season with City due to a lack of senior options, was instructed to push into midfield during pressing scenarios, transforming the back four into a back three.
Gvardiol, primarily signed as a center-back but rarely used in that position, practiced similar movements. This tactical experiment could prove beneficial if Gvardiol is selected to start in the middle against Barcelona.
Looking Ahead
Whether Guardiola will deploy this experimental backline against Barcelona remains uncertain. However, if Phillips continues in this defensive role, it marks another chapter in his ongoing quest to secure a stable position within the team. As City fine-tunes its strategies, fans and analysts alike will be keenly watching how these adjustments unfold on the field.
