Maresca Plays Down Ballon d'Or Talk Around Cherki After Man City's AEK Win

Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca has brushed off talk of a Ballon d'Or push for Rayan Cherki, saying the team matters more than any one player after the 5-1 win over AEK Athens.

Cherki scored in the Champions League game at the Etihad on Tuesday, and Maresca was asked if the French playmaker could one day win the award. 

"I don't know, the only thing I can say, this is a team sport not a single sport. Erling [Haaland] is a top player, so is Rayan and Elliot. We have to think about the 20/25 players that are in the squad," he said.

The win helped City bounce back in Europe. Phil Foden scored a hat-trick and set up Cherki's goal, while summer signing Elliot Anderson got his first goal for the club. Stavros Pilios pulled one back for AEK, and it was the first goal City have ever conceded against a Greek side.

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With Erling Haaland rested on the bench after an injury scare, Maresca gave young forward Floyd Samba a chance and let Cherki roam. The 23-year-old paid that back in the second half. He fooled his marker with a cheeky dummy and then slotted a neat low shot into the bottom corner.

Talking to the club's official website about Cherki's moment, Maresca said: "I think Rayan like the others, had a good game. He made an impact in some moments like the goal. We know we can expect anything from Rayan at any moment."

The goal took Cherki to six from 11 games in all competitions this season. That includes four in the league, two assists and one in the League Cup. His good start has led to talk that the former Lyon man could one day fight for the sport's top individual prizes, but Maresca was quick to cool it down.

The result keeps City in the hunt for a direct place in the Champions League knockout rounds. Attention now turns to the Premier League, where they visit in-form Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday lunchtime. City will need their key players fresh and firing to protect their unbeaten league start during a busy autumn.