Manchester City

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We asked for your views after Manchester City opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 victory over Primeira Liga side Porto.

Here are some of your comments:

Paul: We were brilliant. Porto rarely concede goals or lose at home and we controlled the game for the most part. We silenced a vociferous home crowd, we didn't concede a single shot on target, and Enzo Fernandez and Ayyoub Bouaddi looked the part. I'm a delighted Blue!

Harry: It wasn't a perfect performance, but I never expected it to be. While this team grows, we will concede chances and we will lose games but, going off this performance, we will dominate too. We made the Portuguese champions play like non-league opposition, diving for any hint of favour. To do what we did - away from home - was gutsy. I'm so proud of the lads. Bring on Manchester United!

Barrie: It was a win, but this squad is going to struggle during the long season ahead. For starters, we need a goalkeeper who inspires confidence. When Enzo Maresca studies the game, he will kick the wall with frustration at the aimless meandering in front of him.

Brian: Mission accomplished. Message sent. Manchester City mean business in the Champions League. We are a team now with the belief and will to win. A clean sheet is good news and everyone played their part in controlling the victory. The depth in the squad is exciting.

Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter

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Ayyoub Bouaddi belied his age with a mature Champions League performance on his first Manchester City start to showcase why the club were so intent on signing the 18-year-old.

And after two substitute appearances for City, he was handed his first start against Porto and did not look out of place during the 2-0 victory.

Erling Haaland will take the plaudits for his two goals, but it was Bouaddi who caught the eye with a tidy and assured performance in the middle of the park, signalling early signs that Rodri may not be too sorely missed after his departure.

"His age, his game – he looks absolutely born to do it," former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin said on BBC Radio 5 Live during the game.

"I cannot take my eyes off Bouaddi, he looks very special. The City fans had the fear of losing Rodri - I watched Bouaddi playing against Scotland at the World Cup, he has been very impressive so far."

Aged 18 years and 341 days, Bouaddi became the fourth-youngest player to start a Champions League match for City.

Question marks were raised around the size of the fee for a position on the pitch where players can be exposed, but Bouaddi seems to have settled in immediately and showcased why he will be a valuable option this season.

"He is very good," said manager Enzo Maresca. "Against Coventry, he lost two balls and after that he was inside our box and calm. Other players may have panicked but at 18, he is a fantastic player.

"Tonight, he was very good. He speaks French, English, Spanish perfect. He is different in how mature he is. This is why the club has made the effort for him to be with us."

Bouaddi completed 54 of his 55 passes, while he also topped the metrics across players of both sides for most dribbles (4), most times possession won (7) and contesting more duels (13).

"He did a really good game," said Haaland. "The last couple of weeks in training, he has been amazing. I think we have got a gem there, to be honest."

Read more on Bouaddi's impressive performance

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Former defender Nedum Onuoha says Enzo Fernandez's already established working relationship with Enzo Maresca is proving key at Manchester City.

The £125m summer signing from Chelsea has adapted quickly to life at City, helped by being reunited with former Blues boss Maresca.

He provided a fine assist for Erling Haaland and produced an assured midfield display in Tuesday's Champions League win over Porto.

"The fact that Maresca wanted to bring him in from Chelsea means a lot because you can see Fernandez really trusts the coach and the coach really trusts the player," Onuoha told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"It's a quality player, a real high level player - someone who has been one of the best players for Chelsea across these last few years. So, when he comes in - you have lots of players around him who don't necessarily know what the manager is like in certain moments and situations throughout the season. But, Enzo Fernandez does.

"He knows exactly what the training will be like, how Maresca wants his team to play, and all the little details that some of the City players are starting to pick up on a day-to-day basis through training and in-game repetitions. Fernandez already knows those.

"When Fernandez goes out onto the pitch, he is the one that has got the clear vision for what the manager wants. He has to create that with the team-mates around him but it's a great signing to have when you know the player can fit in with their ability anyway, but also with their understanding of what the coach wants that takes them to another level."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Apart from a tense 10-15 minute spell when they were 1-0 up.

"Man City were by some distance the better side. They had so many chances. Had this ended five or six, you wouldn't have raise an eyebrow.

"They are so dangerous going forward and the big thing for Man City fans is they can be much better than this.

"Ayyoub Bouaddi is an absolute no-brainer. He's brilliant. You get him at that age, and you don't think he might work, he is a class act.

"He tired in the second half, but before that he just looked as if he was playing a different game from everyone else because he developed so much time for himself.

"They couldn't get near Erling Haaland. He looked like a different type of species. It was fabulous to see someone like that.

"I thought his attitude was perfect from start to finish. He is special. If he stays fit, that's it, there's nothing else. If he stays fit he will break records like you wouldn't believe.

"I liked his attitude that he didn't just take it easy when the game was won."

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live's analysis of Tuesday's Champions League action below or on BBC Sounds

Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca, speaking to Amazon Prime: "I think we could've scored more goals, especially in the first half, but overall I think we deserved to win the game.

"We created enough chances to win the game. We didn't concede a lot. It's normal to come here and concede some chances because it's normal, so overall, I'm happy with the performance.

"I think I am lucky because all the squad is good players. For a manager, it is easy because you can give minutes to all of them, and tonight I think the guys that were inside were very good."

On Ayyoub Bouaddi's performance: "The good thing is that from Erling [Haaland], Ruben [Dias], Mateo [Kovacic] you expect how to manage this game, but he was never in panic, Ayyoub Bouaddi. He was very good, and I think the performance was unbelievable."

Man City forward Erling Haaland, speaking to Amazon Prime: "It was a difficult fight, man against man. They are a top team. Honestly, they are impressive.

"I think honestly we controlled the first half. A bit uncomfortable when they came a bit high, but we created a lot of chances. I could easily have had a lot more goals, but second half we scored, and they pushed us for a good 25 minutes, but again we managed to hold through and then finish the game.

"I think these are the games that we have to win, and we have had a great start to the season. In the Champions League you have to win games because, if not, you suddenly get all the pressure, and then you never know what's going to happen."

On 18-year-old Bouaddi making his debut: "I think he played a very good game. Last couple of weeks in training, I told the chairman that he has been amazing, so I think we have a gem here.

"But to be honest, I think he should have played me through in the second half when I was all alone. I was a bit angry, so I will tell him right now, he played a good game, except that pass."

Did you know?

• Manchester City have won the first match of their Champions League campaign in seven of the last eight seasons (drawn one v Inter Milan in 2024-25) since a 1-2 loss to Lyon in 2018-19.

• Erling Haaland scored his 36th Champions League goal for Manchester City, equalling Sergio Agüero as joint-most for the Citizens in the competition.

Listen to more match reaction from Maresca above or on BBC Sounds

Man City starting XI:

Gianluigi Donnarumma: Booked for catching Pepe when jumping off his line and fortunate when a wayward clearance struck William Gomes and rebounded narrowly wide. 5

Matheus Nunes: Assured performances from the Portugal international in his first start of the season. 6

Ruben Dias: The captain was solid at the back and made more passes than any other player on the pitch. 6

Marc Guehi: Fortunate not to be cautioned when smashing into Gabri Veiga with a leading arm into the face. Made an excellent recovery challenge to deny Gomes. 6

Josko Gvardiol: Booked in the opening period after tugging back Gomes and substituted early in the second half. 5

Ayyoub Bouaddi: Confident showing from the Moroccan on his first City start. Tidy in possession and did not look out of place in the Champions League at 18. 8

Enzo Fernandez: Worked well in tandem with Bouaddi and provided the perfect cross for Erling Haaland's goal. 7

Antoine Semenyo: Threatened from the left and had a curling effort saved by Diogo Costa but often wasteful in possession. 6

Phil Foden: Should have done better with a low strike that was kept out by Costa, but struggled to make an impact from the right. 6

Rayan Cherki: Some neat touches playing in the number 10 role, but struggled to create chances before being taken off. 6

Erling Haaland: Quiet early on and forced the busy Costa into two stunning saves with a towering header and low strike. Was not to be denied with his second-half double. 9

Man City substitutes:

Abdukodir Khusanov (on 48, Gvardiol): Did his job. 6

Iliman Ndiaye (on 62, Cherki): Direct running and had an effort saved by Costa. 6

Elliot Anderson (on 62, Semenyo): Tidy, as expected and forced Costa into tipping a rising strike over. 6

Rayan Ait-Nouri (on 76, Foden): Decent showing off the bench. Could have scored - provided the assist for Haaland's second goal. 7

Mateo Kovacic (on 76, Bouaddi): 6

Subs not used: Marcus Bettinelli, Geronimo Rulli, Vitor Reis, Rico Lewis, Allan, Ryan McAidoo.

Read the match report and see how you rated the players

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Manchester City's performance

Reaction and analysis to follow - and come back on Wednesday for a selection of your replies.

There are six games in the Champions League on Tuesday as the 36-team league phase gets under way, and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Club Brugge v Aston Villa (17:45)

• AEK Athens v LASK (17:45)

• Porto v Manchester City - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Borussia Dortmund v Villarreal

• Lille V Real Betis

• Real Madrid v Inter Milan

Kick-off times 20:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Champions League commentary on your smart speaker. Just say "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play Porto v Manchester City" or "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play the Man City match".

Watch highlights of every Champions League game from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

There will also be a Champions League Match of the Day on BBC One on Wednesday, from 22:40 to 00:00.

How to follow the Champions League on the BBC

There's also Carabao Cup action happening on Tuesday - follow those games here

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Manchester City and Norway striker Erling Haaland has been named in the 30-player shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or.

The 26-year-old made 52 appearances across all competitions last season, scoring 38 goals and contributing nine assists, as Manchester City lifted the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

He also scored seven goals in five matches at the 2026 World Cup, helping Norway to their first-ever quarter-final in the competition.

It is the sixth Ballon d'Or nomination he has received throughout his glittering career - and the winner will be announced on Monday, 26 October during a ceremony at The London Palladium.

Haaland's new team-mate Ayyoub Bouaddi has also been nominated for the Men's Young Talent of the Year award. The Morocco international completed a £86m move to Etihad Stadium from Lille this summer.

Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter

The role of Matheus Nunes in Enzo Maresca's team has been the subject of several questions sent in via our Manchester City Ask me Anything form.

Nunes has not featured much this season because he has sustained a couple of knocks in recent weeks - and that has led to Abdukodir Khusanov being deployed at right-back.

The Portugal international limped out of the Community Shield defeat by Arsenal just minutes before kick-off and played half an hour in the opening Premier League win over Bournemouth.

Another minor niggle meant Nunes missed the trip to Crystal Palace, but he was then deemed fully fit by Maresca and on the bench against Coventry City on Saturday.

Nunes was spotted in training on Monday before the Champions League trip to Porto and could get more minutes, with the Manchester derby also on the horizon.

To cut a long story short, it's been a stop-start campaign for Nunes so far and he is still making way back up to match fitness.

Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your questions.

We want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you do.

Find out more here

Manchester City are monitoring Atletico Madrid and Spain midfielder Alex Baena but are unlikely to move for the 25-year-old in January. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Champions League game against Porto at Estadio Do Dragao (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Nico O'Reilly could be back for the weekend when Man City face Manchester United but they are "not sure" about Jeremy Doku's return date.

• On whether spending such vast sums in the transfer market brings pressure in the Champions League: "I said many times when you are Manchester City the expectations are always higher. I like to focus on the day by day. It's complicated to think where we can be in February, March or April. For me the most important thing is to see we are improving game after game."

• Discussing Rayan Cherki dropping deep to receive the ball in recent City outings, Maresca explained: "There is always a game plan. When we are in our side, Rayan also drops a little bit to manage the game - the tempo and the game. When the ball is in the opposite side we need Rayan in a position to be dangerous. So it depends a little bit where we are."

• Maresca was asked about playing music while players warmed up in training: "It's something I had in Leicester, Chelsea - I introduced here. I think there are days where the players with music, they are more happy and can work better. The players decide (the songs). It's just to create more of an environment for them."

• On Erling Haaland raising mental fatigue on his YouTube channel: "It's not easy for them. Not easy for Erling and most of the players that continue to play for their club and international team. You see these kind of players, they start to get tired. It's correct to give them some rest. It could be a game out or week away. It depends on the moment. The priority from my point of view is allow the players to be fit, good and happy."

• Maresca was asked how Haaland has changed as a player since he was previously at the club as Pep Guardiola's assistant: "He's a man now, a dad. Life completely changes. The priority becomes his son. I am happy for him. He was already top as a player, as a boy. Now you can see he is complete now - a family man, still scoring goals. I am very happy for him."

• Asked if Man City are favourites against Porto: "We are here to do our best. This is a hard place to come. This season they have started very good. In the last 14 or 15 games in Europe I thnk they have lost one. That shows it's a difficult place to come but we are going to try our best to win the game."

Listen to live commentary of Porto v Manchester City on BBC Radio 5 Live from 20:00 BST on Tuesday.

Got a question about Man City? Get in touch here and we'll seek answers from our experts

Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter

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A new 401-room hotel adjacent to Etihad Stadium opened its doors for the first time on Monday - a major step in the development around Manchester City's home ground.

The club have been building a new £300m entertainment zone known as Medlock Square, which includes a Radisson Blu Hotel, backing on to the newly expanded Pep Guardiola Stand and overlooking Co-op Live.

There are also plans for a new 600-person capacity entertainment venue which the council granted planning permission for in June.

Richard Pearson, general manager of The Medlock, said: "We are incredibly proud to officially open the doors to The Medlock, as it takes centre stage as the beginning of the story of Medlock Square."

BBC News reported last week that City's lease at Etihad Stadium had been placed under review in August amid the major expansion of the club's east Manchester campus.

The review is expected to result in an uplift in the yearly base rate fee paid to Manchester City Council by the club, currently said to be between £3m and £4m a year.

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Manchester City and Coventry City.

Here are some of your comments:

Manchester City fans

Michael: Satisfactory performance by City, but made to work hard for it at times by a plucky Coventry. Several outstanding performances, especially by Anderson with his remarkable 155 passes.

Arthur: The one true decisive moment of quality from Man City proved to be enough, great pass, great cross and a great header. The rest was not good enough and in the second half Coventry gave them a lesson in how to put good balls into the box. They were unlucky to not come away with at least a draw. City need to sharpen up, or it will cost them in the future.

Steven: So many new signings needing to get up to speed and familiarity with new players will always take a little time. There is always too much expectation but nine points from nine to start with is all that matters.

Prince: Something is still missing with this Man City side. No swagger, no fear. Any average-to-good side will beat them every day. With over 70% possession, they only won by one goal. Coventry were just unlucky.

Coventry City fans

Darren: Best performance of the season by far - we were unlucky not to score. We move onto the next with the positive performance we have put in today.

Jane: Quicker progress made at this level than I expected. Keep it going and we'll be fine.

Jack: Much improved performance from against Arsenal in the first game. We had some great spells of possession and had some real chances to score. Ethan Pinnock really bolstered our defence. It was a good decision from Frank to play three at the back. Brighton at home next week is a winnable game, so all we can do now is prepare properly and build on today's performance.

Mike: Great game management and substitutions by Frank, but just came up short because we didn't take our chances.

John Bennett
Final Score reporter at Etihad Stadium.

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Iliman Ndiaye's first comment in the interview room after Saturday's win was a bit of an understatement. He told us it has "been a long journey to get to this point".

Back in 2020, the Senegal winger was playing for Hyde United, on loan from Sheffield United.

Yes, it was only six miles away from Etihad Stadium, but it was also way down in the sixth tier of English football.

Six years on, Ndiaye is now at the top table of the game and it was a promising debut - including at least one bit of magic first half, which nearly set up a goal, and a half-chance with a flicked header in the second half, as well as some lovely touches throughout the game.

He more than suits the number seven shirt and he got a standing ovation from the Manchester City fans when he was replaced.

Ndiaye told us afterwards that he moved to the club because it's "one of the biggest in the world and who wouldn't want to be here". He also said the prospect of winning trophies was a big pull.

Hyde United is now a distant memory and Ndiaye can look forward to the Champions League and a Manchester derby.

Manchester City, Arsenal and Al-Hilal are interested in Chelsea winger Pedro Neto and could make a move for the 26-year-old Portugal international in the January transfer window. (Caught Offside), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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