Erling Haaland and Enzo Maresca Praise Ayyoub Bouaddi After Manchester City’s Win at Porto

Haaland and Maresca Applaud Young Talent Ayyoub Bouaddi

Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca and star striker Erling Haaland showered praise on 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi following their 2-0 Champions League victory over Porto at Estadio do Dragao. Making his first start in the competition, Bouaddi impressed with a calm and commanding performance that caught the eye of his teammates and coaching staff alike.

Strong Debut in Midfield

City began their Champions League group stage campaign with a solid win, driven by Haaland's two second-half goals. Meanwhile, Bouaddi stood out in midfield, completing an impressive 54 out of 55 passes and recovering the ball seven times before being substituted for Mateo Kovacic in the 76th minute. His assured control helped Manchester City manage the match effectively.

Maresca Highlights Team Depth and Bouaddi’s Composure

After the match, Maresca expressed satisfaction with the team's overall effort in a tough away fixture. Speaking to Amazon Prime, he said:

"I think we could have scored more goals, especially in the first half, but overall I believe we deserved the win. We created enough chances and didn’t concede many. It’s normal to face some pressure here, so I’m happy with the performance. I'm lucky to have such a strong squad; it's easy as a manager to rotate players, and tonight those who played were very good."

He singled out Bouaddi’s calmness on the field, noting that while leaders like Haaland, Ruben Dias, and Kovacic are expected to handle the pressure, the teenager never panicked during the game:

"The good thing is that from Erling, Ruben, Mateo you expect how to manage the game but Ayyoub was never in panic. He was very good; I think his performance was unbelievable."

Haaland Calls Bouaddi a 'Gem'

Before even taking the pitch, Bouaddi had already impressed senior players. Haaland praised the youngster’s potential but joked about a missed opportunity during the match:

"I think he played a very good game. In training over the last couple of weeks, I told the chairman he’s been amazing, so I think we have a gem here. But honestly, I think he should have played me through in the second half when I was all alone. I was a bit angry, so I’ll tell him right now: he played a good game, except for that pass."

City’s Perfect Start and Upcoming Challenges

The victory in Portugal keeps Manchester City unbeaten with four straight wins across all competitions this season. Their resilience will be put to the test soon as they face local rivals Manchester United in the Premier League this weekend. Bouaddi’s confident display in midfield strengthens his chances of featuring regularly during a busy autumn schedule.

• Liga Portugal Match: Casa Pia vs FC Porto, 12 Sept 2026, 19:00
• Premier League Fixture: Manchester United vs Manchester City, 13 Sept 2026, 17:30