Erling Haaland and Enzo Maresca salute 'gem' Ayyoub Bouaddi after dazzling Manchester City display in Porto
Teenager impresses on debut
City opened their Champions League league-phase campaign with a convincing 2-0 victory over Porto at the Estadio do Dragao. Alongside Haaland's decisive second-half brace, teenage sensation Bouaddi caught the eye with a commanding display in the heart of midfield on his full debut. The 18-year-old dictated proceedings by completing 54 of his 55 passes while registering seven ball recoveries before making way for Mateo Kovacic in the 76th minute.
Maresca praises composed performance
Maresca was delighted with the collective resolve shown during a demanding European away assignment, highlighting the quality and depth available across his squad. Assessing the overall performance post-match, the Italian tactician told 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 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."
Turning his focus to Bouaddi's unflappable display on the big stage, Maresca reserved special praise for the teenager: "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."
Haaland labels midfielder ‘gem’
Operating seamlessly alongside Enzo Fernandez, Bouaddi had already left a lasting impression on City's senior stars long before stepping onto the pitch in Porto. Hailing the youngster's raw potential before sharing a light-hearted complaint about a missed pass, Haaland remarked: "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 of 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."
Manchester derby looms next
Victory in Portugal extends City's flawless start to four consecutive wins across all competitions this season. The resilience of Maresca's side will be tested to the limit when they lock horns with local rivals Manchester United in the Premier League this weekend. Bouaddi's assured midfield audition significantly bolsters his chances of featuring regularly amid a demanding autumn fixture schedule.
