According to coach Enzo Maresca's admission, Manchester City "complexed" the 2-0 victory over Porto in the Champions League. However, the performance at Dragao still brings a positive signal. The Citizens' new midfield is showing the ability to fill the void left by Rodri.
Man City cannot decide the match early but also rarely faces the risk of losing the advantage. Porto has no shots on target, although they have never lost at Estadio do Dragao in 2026. Balance in midfield helps Man City control most of the threats from the home team.
Comparing the current Man City with the version that used to operate smoothly around Rodri under Pep Guardiola is inevitable. At that time, every pass was almost made with absolute accuracy. But that period has ended and Maresca is having to create a new system.
The biggest highlight against Porto is probably Ayyoub Bouaddi. The 18-year-old midfielder was recruited by Man City from Lille in the summer and started for the new team for the first time. He played calmly, confidently and did not flinch in the face of pressure.
Bouaddi impressed with his ball handling ability, dribbling and changing direction in tight spaces. More importantly, he controlled the passing pace very well. Teammates also soon gave this young midfielder confidence, continuously passing the ball to him even when being pressured by the opponent.
One of the most prominent details is Bouaddi's 98% pass accuracy against Porto. A day later, Rodri achieved 96% in Barcelona's 5-1 victory over Feyenoord. Of course, these numbers are not enough to put the two players on the scale, but they partly show the potential of the Man City newcomer.
It is worth mentioning that Bouaddi is not the only option. Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernandez also bring different qualities, helping Maresca have a more flexible midfield.
Anderson has the ability to control the ball and operate effectively both with and without the ball. Meanwhile, Fernandez brings dynamism, tackling ability and even threat to the goal. He can even be pushed up to number 10 when necessary.
These 3 players are also not limited to a fixed position. Bouaddi is most suitable for the number 6 role, Anderson and Fernandez favor the number 8 position, but all three can swap roles depending on the diễn biến of the match.
That flexibility could become an important foundation in Maresca's operation. Man City has spent £326 million on new options, but money only helps them own quality players. Success still depends on time and the ability of the newcomers to integrate with each other.
The Manchester derby at Old Trafford this weekend will be a much bigger test. Anderson is likely to play defensive midfielder, Fernandez plays above, and Bouaddi may start the match from the bench.
Perhaps, Man City does not need a new Rodri, but they need a new midfield.
