Former Colombia international Mayer Candelo has heaped praise on new Manchester City assistant coach Juanma Lillo.

Lillo worked with Candelo at Millionaros and the Colombian wishes he'd worked with the Spaniard sooner in his career.

"If, at 20 years of age, I had been coached by Lillo, I would have been Messi," Candelo explained in an interview with Caracol Radio.

"He taught you how to play football and Fabian Vargas, who worked with him in Spain as well, can tell you better than me.

"Lillo doesn't make things up, we value the way he coached us and how it was different."