LONDON: Winning the Champions League is the main reason Riyad Mahrez wanted to join Manchester City for a club record fee of £60 million ($79million) he told a press conference on Thursday.
The 27-year-old Algerian international forward had wanted to move to the champions in January but City baulked at the £80 million fee Leicester demanded at the time.
Mahrez, though, said he did not wish to discuss the frustrations of the January transfer window and rather set his sights on what he can achieve at Manchester City.
“It’s a club who wants to win this type of trophy. The Champions League is for big clubs and Manchester City are a big club,” said Mahrez.
“They have everything to try to win the Champions League.
“It is a goal. Last season they lost in the quarter-final and I know they have the ambition to go further the next season.
“That’s why I’m here, why I made the decision to come here, because I want to be part of this.”
Mahrez, who was pivotal to Leicester’s extraordinary title win in 2016 contributing 17 goals, said the size of the fee does not bother him or put pressure on him.
“The prices have been big in every country. This does not affect me,” said Mahrez, who only cost Leicester £400,000 when they signed him in 2014.
Mahrez, who made 179 appearances for Leicester, scoring 48 times, admits there is a fine array of attacking talent already at City, including such as Belgian Kevin de Bruyne, Argentinian Sergio Aguero, German Leroy Sane and others, but he isn’t losing any sleep over where he slots in.
“I never thought about this. I am very confident about myself.”
Champions League glory is target for record Manchester City signing Riyad Mahrez
Champions League glory is target for record Manchester City signing Riyad Mahrez
Century from Andries Gous powers Desert Vipers into ILT20 final
- His is first player from an associate nation to score a century in tournament history, and his 157-run partnership with Fakhar Zaman sets ILT20 opening-stand record
- Debutant Usman Tariq leads the charge with the ball, bagging three crucial wickets to help seal the victory
ABU DHABI: An unbeaten century from Andries Gous propelled Desert Vipers into the final of the International League T20 with a commanding 45-run victory over MI Emirates in Qualifier 1 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
His remarkable 120 not out spearheaded a clinical, all-round display as the Vipers secured a place in their third final in four seasons.
Gous and Fakhar Zaman, who hit a fluent 69 off 50 balls, laid the foundation for an imposing Vipers total as they stitched together a record-breaking 157-run partnership, the highest opening stand in the four-season history of the DP World ILT20.
Debutant Usman Tariq was then the star with the ball, claiming three wickets to derail the chase by MI Emirates.
Sent in to bat first, the Vipers got off to a measured start before accelerating the pace sharply. After a watchful opening, Gous let loose in the fifth over, smashing Romario Shepherd for two sixes and a four in a 20-run burst. He reached his half-century from just 29 balls, including three fours and three sixes, as the opening stand raced past 100 runs in only 65 deliveries.
Fakhar, who similarly began steadily, also shifted gears in the middle overs, reaching his 50 from 36 balls after targeting Kieron Pollard.
The opening pair were finding the boundary with ease and pushed their combined total beyond 150 before Fakhar was finally dismissed in the 16th over by Allah Ghazanfar. Sam Curran then joined Gous to provide a blistering finish.
Gous completed his century, the first of the season and the first by a player from an associate nation in the history of the ILT20, from 53 balls. Curran, meanwhile, smashed an unbeaten 38 off just 12 balls, including 20 runs in the final over, as the Vipers surged to a season-high 233 for the loss of a single wicket.
Gous finished the day with seven fours and nine sixes, and registered the highest individual score in the history of the tournament.
Chasing a daunting target, MI Emirates began brightly enough through Mohammed Waseem, who struck 41 off 32 balls, and Tom Banton. They ensured the powerplay was a positive spell, reaching 53 for one. Banton quickly took charge, hammering 18 runs off Curran in the ninth over on his way to a 21-ball half-century.
However, the momentum shifted decisively when Naseem Shah removed Waseem in the 11th over. Tariq then struck twice in two deliveries in the 12th, dismissing Banton for a valiant 63 off 27 balls, and Sanjay Krishnamurthi for a duck. The debutant added the wicket of Pollard soon after, finishing with three for 33 and swinging the contest firmly in the Vipers’ favor.
David Payne chipped in by removing Dan Mousley, and although Romario Shepherd contributed an unbeaten 39 late in the innings, including a costly 18th over off Curran, MI Emirates were restricted to 188 for seven, far short of what was required.
On Friday they will have a second chance to reach the final when they take on the winners of an eliminator, to be played on Thursday, between Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Dubai Capitals. The final will take place on Sunday.
Player of the match Gous said his performance was one he will not forget.
“It was a really special moment for me,” he said. “You don’t get many opportunities to score a hundred, so I truly cherished it.
“After the sixth over we knew handling the wind would be key, and Fakhar batted superbly, which made my job a lot easier.
“Post-powerplay, we were thinking in terms of 190 to 200 but then Sam played an unbelievable innings that pushed us all the way to 230.”
MI Emirates captain Pollard admitted the big target set by the Vipers proved decisive.
“Chasing 233 was always going to be a stiff challenge,” he said. “Losing by 45 runs is a big margin in T20 cricket but I felt we conceded about 10 to 15 runs too many on what was a very good pitch.
“One loss isn’t the end of the road; we still have another chance.”
