Victor Olatunji, a 25-year-old Nigerian striker, fulfilled his childhood dream of playing against Manchester City, despite Sparta Prague’s 5-0 defeat in the UEFA Champions League.
After a promising 1-1 draw against Stuttgart, the Czech Republic team hoped to extend their unbeaten streak at the Etihad Stadium. However, they were no match for Pep Guardiola’s side, who dominated the game with goals from Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, John Stones, and Matheus Nunes.
In an exclusive interview, Victor Olatunji admitted that he did not expect such a one-sided result. He emphasized that Sparta Prague fought hard but was ultimately outclassed by Manchester City. Nevertheless, he expressed immense satisfaction at having played against one of the world’s top clubs.
He said,
“It was a good game, a good test for us as well and tough luck for us, that’s how I would describe it.
“I did not expect this kind of result but we know this (Manchester City) are a good side and we played our game.
“We all know Manchester City but we tried to do what we needed to do but the result (did not go our way).
“It is every child’s dream and it has always been my dream to play against them and also to play for them.
“So, it’s a dream come true for me because I watched them play when I was very young.”
Before the game, Sparta Prague manager Lars Friis praised Pep Guardiola, calling him the world’s best coach.
“Pep is the best coach in the world and the best there has ever been,” he told the media.
“I’m not only talking about winning trophies but the way he has developed the game and invented systems.
“He has been a big inspiration for many coaches, many of them in the Premier League. It was the same for me in my early days.
“A lot of what goes on in the football world I believe comes from his head. It is a pleasure to play against a coach like Guardiola but when the game is on it is a game. But for me, he is the best coach we have ever seen.”
Olatunji was substituted in the 60th minute for Albion Rrahmani after a lacklustre performance. He failed to record any shots on target or key passes and had a low number of touches and passes.
Despite not scoring against Manchester City, Olatunji remained undeterred. He acknowledged the exceptional quality of Guardiola’s squad and understood the difficulty of scoring against such a strong team.
“Of course, I am not disappointed not to have scored against them because that is how the game went. More importantly, I am happy that have played in this game.”
Sparta Prague has lost three of their last five matches, with only one win and one draw. Olatunji quickly dismissed any concerns about the team’s performance under manager Lars Friis.
“There is nothing wrong my team; we will surely bounce back.”
Olatunji has scored three goals in ten league matches this season. He has assured his fans that he will continue to perform well and contribute to the team’s success.
“What I can tell my fans is that they should expect more goals from me as the season progresses.”
Victor Olatunji joined Sparta Prague on a multi-year contract on July 17, 2023. Subsequently, he played a crucial role in the club’s qualification for the 2023-24 Champions League, scoring a late goal in a 4-1 comeback victory against Dinamo Zagreb.
Next, Sparta Prague will face Viktoria Plzen on Sunday, hoping to secure a much-needed win.
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