Pep Guardiola claims spark Adebayo Akinfenwa response after Man City thrash Wycombe | OneFootball

Adebayo Akinfenwa has offered reaction following Pep Guardiola’s comments about him in Manchester City’s 6-1 demolition of Wycombe Wanderers midweek.

Akinfenwa featured in the Wycombe side that lost in the third round of the League Cup. The holders ran riot as they comfortably progressed to the next round.

Following the game, Guardiola was very complimentary of Akinfenwa. The 39-year old has been with Wycombe since 2016, where he has scored 48 league goals for The Chairboys.

“They faced a legend of English football, it was an absolute pleasure to meet him,” Guardiola said of Akinfenwa, via Manchester Evening News.

“It’s not easy to do it but they did very well. We are going to review the game and show them how to solve the problems. But there was not one bad performance.”

Akinfenwa gained a massive cult following within the United Kingdom due to his size — earning a reputation as the strongest player in the FIFA video game series.

The striker posted to Twitter his appreciation for Guardiola’s comments, playing down his own legend status.

“I don’t know about a legend of the game but I will most defo (sic) take the compliment from one of the best managers in the game,” he said.

Akinfenwa is yet to get off the mark for Wycombe this season, but Gareth Ainsworth’s side are in fifth place in the League One table.

They have taken 14 points from seven games, winning four, drawing two and losing once. Wycombe’s next game sees them take a trip to MK Dons on Saturday.

The Verdict

This is the crossover we didn’t know we needed until it happened. Akinfenwa is a cult hero of English football and that he shared the stage with Guardiola is incredible. It was obviously a comfortable game for City, which is to be expected, but that was a nice moment of recognition for Akinfenwa.

Guardiola often praises his opponents in defeat, and sometimes it can seem disingenuous and almost sarcastic, but it was good that Akinfenwa received some well-earned attention and praise.

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