Pep Guardiola reveals the 'future star right-back' for Man City

At the press conference before the Round 9 Premier League 2025/26 clash with Aston Villa, Man City's manager Pep Guardiola revealed a player who might control the right wing for the club long-term.

When Matheus Nunes joined Man City, he was regarded as a strong defensive midfielder with excellent pressing escape skills and outstanding physical endurance. However, Guardiola spotted another potential in the Portuguese player. Since last season, he has experimented with Nunes at right-back and quickly achieved positive results.

After Kyle Walker left Etihad to join Burnley in the summer transfer window, Nunes's role on the right flank became even more crucial. The 27-year-old did not disappoint the Spanish coach’s trust. In the last two matches, Nunes contributed to City's 2-0 victories over Everton at Premier League and Villarreal in the Champions League.

Witnessing that consistent form, Guardiola believes Nunes can develop long-term in his new position. In the pre-match press conference against Aston Villa in Round 9 of the Premier League 2025/26 (scheduled for 9 PM on October 26), he stated:

“He has the potential to become an extraordinary right-back. Matheus is a defensive midfielder with excellent physical attributes. As long as he stays focused, he can become one of the best right-backs out there.”

According to Pep, the most important factor for Nunes now is mindset. Shifting from a central to a wide position requires not only technical skills but also psychological adjustment and tactical adaptation. The 54-year-old coach added:

“The key is changing the mindset. We've talked a lot about it, and as long as he believes he can do it. He has special qualities to play on the flank, and in the last two or three games, he has truly performed exceptionally.”

Man City is on a journey to reclaim their champion status after a somewhat shaky start. They lost two of their first three Premier League matches, but since then, Guardiola’s squad has remained unbeaten in 9 consecutive games across all competitions. This impressive streak has lifted Man City to second place, just a narrow margin behind the league leaders.

Nevertheless, most media and fan attention currently focuses on Liverpool and Arsenal, two teams that have shined early in the season. As usual, Guardiola is not overly concerned about that. He believes the season is still long, and nothing can be predicted after just a few rounds.

“I know experts and former players think they can predict everything after five matches. But I don’t see it that way. After the first two or three games, people said we were done, and now it sounds like Liverpool is finished. But I tell you, they will come back.

“You always have to wait until 10 or 15 matches to truly understand what’s happening. Liverpool and Arsenal will definitely be there, there will be other teams too, and hopefully, we will be there as well.”

From the interview, it is clear that Pep Guardiola maintains his usual calmness. Even when underestimated, his Spanish-led team always knows how to bounce back.

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