Young Kazakhstani boxer Abdukodir Khusanov faces harsh lessons after his professional debut with Manchester City, as coach Pep Guardiola reflects on the 20-year-old’s mistakes and challenges ahead.
A Tough Debut for Young Defender Khusanov
Abdukodir Khusanov, the £33.6m ($41.6m) signing from Lens, endured a difficult debut in Manchester City’s 3-1 win against Chelsea. The 20-year-old Uzbekistan international was booked for a foul just a minute after his first appearance and was eventually substituted early in the second half.
Learning from Mistakes
Pep Guardiola reflected on Khusanov’s debut, saying “he will take a lesson” from his mistakes. The coach acknowledged that it’s not easy for a young player to deal with experienced players like Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer. However, he expressed confidence in Khusanov’s ability to learn from his errors.
Challenges Ahead
Khusanov was forced into an early debut at centre-back due to injuries to Rúben Dias and Nathan Aké. John Stones was only fit enough to be named on the bench, and Guardiola said that he needs Stones to be available for the crucial Champions League clash with Club Brugge on Wednesday.
Communication Challenges
Guardiola also highlighted the communication challenges Khusanov faced due to not speaking fluently in English. He joked that he would need to learn Russian or Uzbek to communicate with his new teammate. The coach acknowledged that mistakes are an inevitable part of the learning process, and Khusanov knows that he needs to improve.
Next Steps
Despite a tough debut, Guardiola remains optimistic about Khusanov’s future at City. He will undoubtedly take on board the lessons learned from his debut and look to build on his experience in the coming weeks.
