Enzo Fernández and Erling Haaland Shine in Champions League Opener

Enzo Fernández walked into the Champions League with Manchester City and immediately found the most reliable target in Europe. Then he gave him a new label.

“Erling Haaland is an animal, a beast,” the Argentina midfielder told Amazon Prime, still buzzing after his debut in City colours in Europe’s top competition.

On a tense night in Porto, those words felt less like praise and more like a match report.

Haaland hits historic heights

City laboured for long spells at Estádio do Dragão. Diogo Costa turned the first half into his own highlight reel, repeatedly shutting the door on Haaland and keeping Porto in a contest that threatened to frustrate Enzo Maresca’s side.

The pressure finally told after the break.

Fernández, the joint-British record signing from Chelsea and a World Cup winner with Argentina, picked his moment. A whipped cross, the kind Haaland devours. One sharp movement, one ruthless finish from close range. On his Champions League debut for City, Fernández’s first major contribution was to do what he promised: find Haaland.

“Every time I'm on the pitch, I'm going to look for him and hopefully I can give him many more assists and he can score goals like that,” Fernández said. “It's not just about the player he is -- he's an amazing human being as well and he has really welcomed me in [to the club].”

The goal opened the door. It also opened the record books.

Those two second-half strikes in a 2-0 win took Haaland to 59 Champions League goals in 59 matches, a scarcely believable ratio even by his own standards. The brace pulled him level with Sergio Agüero as Manchester City’s leading scorer in the competition on 36 goals and nudged him past Thomas Müller into seventh on the all-time list.

Porto, meanwhile, became the 22nd different club he has punished in this tournament. Another name on a growing victims’ list.

A late dagger and a perfect start

Just as Porto pushed for a late equaliser, Haaland killed the game.

Deep into stoppage time, Rayan Aït-Nouri slid a pass into the box. One touch with Haaland’s right foot was enough, a deft redirection that rolled past Costa and silenced the home crowd for good.

City had their away win. Their new manager had his statement result.

Haaland’s numbers are already climbing again. He hit eight goals in 10 games in last season’s Champions League before City fell to Real Madrid in the round of 16. Now, sporting a new haircut and the same cold efficiency, he has three goals in three Premier League matches and two more in Europe to start this campaign.

City, too, are flawless so far. Three wins from three in the league, a controlled Champions League opener in one of the competition’s most hostile environments. Maresca could hardly have asked for a cleaner launch.

“I hope he is pleased,” Haaland said of his new coach. “We won away in a difficult game. Look at this atmosphere, it was unreal at times so I hope he's happy.”

Maresca’s demands and City’s standard

Haaland’s words carried a reminder that this is only the beginning under Maresca.

“We have to learn,” he added. “Enzo demands a lot from us and we have to demand a lot from each other. We have to win games because at Man City, you have to win trophies. That's what we have to do at this club.”

That is the bar now. Not group-stage wins, not early-season form, but silverware in May.

On a humid night in Porto, City saw their new midfield conductor link seamlessly with their relentless No. 9. Fernández delivered the cross, Haaland delivered the goals, and Maresca walked away from a difficult away tie with both points and proof.

If this is how the partnership looks on night one in Europe, what happens when they really click?