Pep Guardiola brought up his appreciation of Jack Grealish when he was asked about the Carabao Cup final.
Manchester City booked their place in their third consecutive league cup final at Wembley on Wednesday as they beat Manchester United on aggregate despite losing on the night.
Aston Villa had confirmed their place the previous night as an injury-time winner from Trezeguet saw them past Leicester at a jubilant Villa Park.
Guardiola complimented Grealish ahead of the league meeting between the sides earlier this month when asked about the player, and brought him up unprompted this week when asked for his thoughts on facing Villa.
"It's a final. Big congratulations to Dean Smith," he started. "Leicester played really well, both deserved to be there. We're going to play Villa and we will try to win. They have one of the best players in the league in Jack Grealish.
"I am a big fan of him. The important thing is to be in the final."
Grealish has been one of the standout players in the league this season in a Villa team scrapping for survival, and City will be losing David Silva at the end of the year. Guardiola has insisted that Phil Foden will take Silva's place in the squad unless there is a chance of mind or circumstances but the Blues boss has been happy to talk up the Villa playmaker.
Last year was the first summer transfer window that Guardiola did not buy a player from another Premier League club, and the first time the club hadn't since 2013.
