Euro 2024 is now underway and on Saturday, fans got to see the first handful of Manchester City players in action.
Germany got the tournament off to a rip-roaring start as they hammered Scotland 5-1 on Friday night.
On Saturday, the first Manchester City players featured with Manuel Akanji playing for Switzerland against Hungary, and Rodri, Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol all featuring in Spain vs Croatia.
Switzerland ran out 3-1 winners against Hungary, putting them in a great position to reach the knockout stages.
And it was a pretty solid out for City defender Akanji, who played a full game.
Manuel Akanji leaves Kalvin Phillips impressed for two reasons after Switzerland
Switzerland are a decent side.
They are ranked 19th in the world at the moment, and they should be good enough to get out of their group. Their first result should make that a strong possibility now.
They have some really handy players – and a rock at the back in Akanji, of course.
If Switzerland are to go deep in the competition, then the form of the City star will be absolutely crucial – and he looked very solid against Hungary in their opener.
As per Sofascore data, the star made three clearances and one interception. He was also very tidy on the ball as usual, completing 58/64 (91%) passes. Only Granit Xhaka (99) had more than his 77 touches.
Akanji’s performance was praised on social media by fans, and Kalvin Phillips also liked what he saw from his City teammate. And it wasn’t just Akanji’s performance he found impressive.
After the game, Akanji posted on Instagram, writing: “Love it bigman! What a trim! 😍 @hdcutzlondon.”
What a player Akanji is
Akanji looked brilliant for Switzerland on Saturday and what a player he has become since moving to City in the summer of 2022.
His transfer to the Etihad raised a few eyebrows. He was seen as a decent player at Borussia Dortmund, but not a top-level or elite centre-back by any means.
But 96 appearances later for City, and his £15 million transfer is now seen as one of the biggest bargains in years by the club.
He has been absolutely tremendous for Pep Guardiola, operating in many positions across the backline but always performing at high levels. His tactical intelligence is right up there with the best in the squad, and the defence feels strong with him in it.
And he is definitely appreciated by his teammates, with Nathan Ake recently admitting he was one of the most underrated players in the squad.
He may not be able to step into midfield quite as well as John Stones does. But Akanji is just a reliable performer and those involved in bringing him to the club deserve immense credit. Hopefully, he can really shine at the Euros.