Erling Haaland and Enzo Maresca Praise Ayyoub Bouaddi After Impressive Manchester City Display in Porto

Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca and striker Erling Haaland expressed high admiration for 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi after their 2-0 victory over Porto in the Champions League. Making his first start in midfield, the teenager impressed at Estadio do Dragao, earning praise from teammates who see him as a promising talent for the future.

Teenager Shines on Full Debut

City began their Champions League group stage campaign strongly with a 2-0 win away to Porto. Alongside Haaland's second-half brace, Bouaddi stood out by controlling the midfield with maturity beyond his years. The youngster completed 54 out of 55 passes and made seven ball recoveries before being substituted for Mateo Kovacic in the 76th minute.

Maresca Applauds Calm and Quality Performance

After the match, Maresca praised the team's overall effort in a challenging European fixture, noting the depth and quality across the squad. Speaking to Amazon Prime, he said:

"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. We didn't concede many chances, which is normal when you come here. I'm happy with the performance. I feel lucky because all my players are good; it’s easy to give minutes to everyone. Tonight, those who played were very good."

He singled out Bouaddi's composed presence:

"From players like Erling [Haaland], Ruben [Dias], Mateo [Kovacic], you expect how to manage this game, but Ayyoub Bouaddi never panicked. He was very good; his performance was unbelievable."

Haaland Calls Bouaddi a 'Gem'

Playing alongside Enzo Fernandez, Bouaddi had already caught the attention of senior players before stepping onto the pitch. Haaland spoke about the midfielder's potential and added a playful complaint about a missed pass:

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

City Prepares for Manchester Derby

The win in Portugal extended City's perfect start to four wins across all competitions this season. Their resilience will be put to the test against local rivals Manchester United in the Premier League this weekend. Bouaddi’s confident midfield display boosts his chances to feature regularly during a busy autumn schedule.

Upcoming Fixtures:

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