'I feel really honoured and lucky'

Lifelong Manchester City fan Elliott Fernandez-Sanz had a day to remember recently when he met head coach Pep Guardiola and striker Sergio Aguero during a special trip to the City Football Academy.

The 19-year-old, who is battling cancer, was invited to watch his heroes train as part of City's work with the Willow Foundation, which grants wishes for seriously ill young adults.

Elliott was a City ball boy for nine years but had to give up the role after being told he would never walk again due to a sudden diagnosis of sarcoma cancer, which left him on life support.

He is now undergoing chemotherapy and after meeting Guardiola and Aguero, he made an emotional return to the Etihad Stadium for the first time since his diagnosis to watch City take on Everton.

"It's so important for me to go to the games, I really enjoy coming with my family," Elliott told mancity.com. "For me, it's important to keep going – you can never keep me away from the Etihad.

"It's been great to see the players training and meeting everyone, fantastic really, I feel really honoured. Thank you, I'm so lucky and I didn't think I'd ever get to this point."

See: Brave former ball boy meets City idols