Latest news with #NathanAke
BreakingNews.ie
11 hours ago
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Tijjani Reijnders ‘can be very important' for Man City
Nathan Ake expects fellow Dutchman and new Manchester City team-mate Tijjani Reijnders to have a big impact at the club. Reijnders joined City from AC Milan last week in a deal worth an initial £46.5million as part of Pep Guardiola's rebuild in response to their disappointing 2024-25 season. Advertisement The 26-year-old made an impressive debut, playing the full game, as City began their challenge at the Club World Cup with a comfortable 2-0 win over Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia on Wednesday. Ake has played alongside Reijnders for the Netherlands (Nick Potts/PA) Central defender Ake said: 'I know him really well and I think he can be very important. 'I think from the first week in training, you could see that he fits in really well and you can see the quality he has. 'He can play in different positions, he can get into the box, he can keep the ball going and moving forward. He has great quality and there's so much more to come. Advertisement 'He did really well. It was tough circumstances but he kept the ball really well, kept us moving and offensively he was very good.' Ake played 90 minutes himself for the first time since January as City saw off their Moroccan opponents in their Group G opener with first-half goals from Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku. His past season was a frustrating one as he made just 18 appearances in all competitions due to fitness problems. The 30-year-old said: 'It was very tough. I basically always tried to push, tried to come back as quick as possible but then I got injured again and mentally it can be tough. Advertisement 'It's never easy but luckily that's done now and hopefully now I can stay fit and keep performing. 'I feel good. I had my first 60 (minutes) with the national team and this was my first 90 in a little while. 'Obviously (I hope there is) more to come but this game was important in the group and it's a good start for me.'
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tijjani Reijnders ‘can be very important' for Man City
Nathan Ake expects fellow Dutchman and new Manchester City team-mate Tijjani Reijnders to have a big impact at the club. Reijnders joined City from AC Milan last week in a deal worth an initial £46.5million as part of Pep Guardiola's rebuild in response to their disappointing 2024-25 season. Advertisement The 26-year-old made an impressive debut, playing the full game, as City began their challenge at the Club World Cup with a comfortable 2-0 win over Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia on Wednesday. Ake has played alongside Reijnders for the Netherlands (Nick Potts/PA) Central defender Ake said: 'I know him really well and I think he can be very important. 'I think from the first week in training, you could see that he fits in really well and you can see the quality he has. 'He can play in different positions, he can get into the box, he can keep the ball going and moving forward. He has great quality and there's so much more to come. 'He did really well. It was tough circumstances but he kept the ball really well, kept us moving and offensively he was very good.' Advertisement Ake played 90 minutes himself for the first time since January as City saw off their Moroccan opponents in their Group G opener with first-half goals from Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku. His past season was a frustrating one as he made just 18 appearances in all competitions due to fitness problems. The 30-year-old said: 'It was very tough. I basically always tried to push, tried to come back as quick as possible but then I got injured again and mentally it can be tough. 'It's never easy but luckily that's done now and hopefully now I can stay fit and keep performing. 'I feel good. I had my first 60 (minutes) with the national team and this was my first 90 in a little while. 'Obviously (I hope there is) more to come but this game was important in the group and it's a good start for me.'
The Independent
11 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Tijjani Reijnders ‘can be very important' for Man City
Nathan Ake expects fellow Dutchman and new Manchester City team-mate Tijjani Reijnders to have a big impact at the club. Reijnders joined City from AC Milan last week in a deal worth an initial £46.5million as part of Pep Guardiola's rebuild in response to their disappointing 2024-25 season. The 26-year-old made an impressive debut, playing the full game, as City began their challenge at the Club World Cup with a comfortable 2-0 win over Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia on Wednesday. Central defender Ake said: 'I know him really well and I think he can be very important. 'I think from the first week in training, you could see that he fits in really well and you can see the quality he has. 'He can play in different positions, he can get into the box, he can keep the ball going and moving forward. He has great quality and there's so much more to come. 'He did really well. It was tough circumstances but he kept the ball really well, kept us moving and offensively he was very good.' Ake played 90 minutes himself for the first time since January as City saw off their Moroccan opponents in their Group G opener with first-half goals from Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku. His past season was a frustrating one as he made just 18 appearances in all competitions due to fitness problems. The 30-year-old said: 'It was very tough. I basically always tried to push, tried to come back as quick as possible but then I got injured again and mentally it can be tough. 'It's never easy but luckily that's done now and hopefully now I can stay fit and keep performing. 'I feel good. I had my first 60 (minutes) with the national team and this was my first 90 in a little while. 'Obviously (I hope there is) more to come but this game was important in the group and it's a good start for me.'
Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Man City star explains Pep Guardiola's telling Club World Cup message to players
Manchester City came up empty-handed last season after losing the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace and defender Nathan Ake has explained what manager Pep Guardiola has told them Nathan Ake says Manchester City are already treating the Club World Cup as part of a new season - because they cannot wait to leave the last one behind. City finished the campaign empty-handed after surrendering their Premier League title, losing the FA Cup final and crashing out of the Champions League early. Ake was one of a raft of players who suffered 'frustration' with injury on the back of years of relentless success, including four titles in a row and winning the European Cup. That is why City found it tough going but Ake says they are back with a new mindset in the United States with new staff, new players and a new determination. City are probably not among the red-hot favourites like Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain but they should be judging on recent success under Pep Guardiola. City defender Ake said: 'Obviously you come here to reach the final of the tournament, that's the main objective of the team. 'Last season was very tough. I basically always tried to push, tried to come back as quick as possible. Then I got injured again and mentally it can be tough, it's never easy, but luckily that's done now and hopefully now I can stay fit and keep performing. 'But the manager has said that this is part of the new season. We want it to perform, we have new players, new staff and we are working hard. We are already looking forward to next season, we take this tournament as part of the new season and try to improve.' Ake says fellow Dutchman Tijjani Reijnders has been a vital signing, Rayan Cherki has come in and ex-Liverpool coach Pep Ljinders has joined the backroom staff. While the Club World Cup has been bolted onto the end of the season, Ake says there is an element of it being like pre-season in allowing the new faces get to know each other. Ake said: 'It's helpful for the new players and new staff to be together and every trip away, you get to know each other much better than being in Manchester. That can help everyone settle in very quickly. 'Honestly, I think when you have staff coming in, fresh faces, new players, it feels almost like a new season and that might give us new energy and the new players bring new energy and, like I said, it feels like a new season. I think that mindset can help to bring the energy levels up. 'I think Tijjani can be very important. I know him really well. I think from the first week in training, you could see that he fits in really well and you can see the quality he has. 'He can play in different positions, he can get into the box, he can keep the ball going an moving forward. He has great quality and there's so much more to come.' Ake also says that City have been watching other games in the Club World Cup but insists they believe they can win if they focus on themselves. Ake, who made a winning start with City against Moroccan side Wydad, said: 'We've seen a few games when we've had food and stuff like that. There's been games on in the background. 'There's been some very good teams and, like this time, teams that maybe people in Europe don't see very often but they are very good teams with good players and you have to take it very seriously. " PSG are a top team and we know that from playing them in the Champions League last year and there's many teams who are doing really well. We have to keep an eye out for the other teams but focus on what's important and our games and that's the next one.'
BBC News
15 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Still lots of things to improve'
Nathan Ake says there are "still lots of things to improve" after Manchester City began their Club World Cup campaign with a 2-0 victory over Wydad City's win, their Moroccan opponents had several chances on the counter-attack without finding the net."Important victory in the first game," Ake said post-match. "You always want to win the first one."It was tough out there. I don't think we played our best game but we got the three points and that is the most important but obviously there are still lots of things to improve. "Every country has got different playing styles but we knew they were going to play more on the counter-attack and they did that very well. We didn't deal with that very well and conceded a lot of counter-attacks which they did very well with their fast players. That is one thing to look at - we have to make sure the organisation is better when we have the ball."We take those things with us but overall we take the three points."There has been much discussion over the importance of this expanded Club World Cup and there were banks of empty seats inside Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia."We take it very serious so it didn't feel like a pre-season game for us," Ake said. "We knew it was going to be hot but we appreciate the people coming. At 12:00, it's not easy for a lot of people. "We just have to make sure we keep the same intensity and mentality to win the games. We did that and need to do that in the next one."Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds
