Manchester City's trip to Real Madrid witnessed a memorable moment of Nico O'Reilly when the 20-year-old scored his first goal in the Champions League. Just a few minutes later, he continued to leave his mark with a resounding pass that Antonio Rudiger fouled Erling Haaland in the penalty area, bringing a penalty to the English team.
This is another match that clearly shows his great contributions to Pep Guardiola's system. A goal from a set piece, dangerous breakthroughs on the left wing, the ability to stick to the central area flexibly, the number of touches in the opponent's penalty area is not inferior to Erling Haaland, along with a diligent working spirit when supporting the defense at home - all created a comprehensive performance.
O'Reilly admitted that he should have approached Rodrygo better in the lead-up situation for Real Madrid. However, in the enthusiastic atmosphere at the Bernabeu, the midfielder who was deployed as a full-back did not get past the opponent in any direct dribbles. "In the end, I made up for that," O'Reilly said after being named Man of the Match.
With such an impressive performance, O'Reilly can be confident of keeping the starting position in Guardiola's squad when Man City face Crystal Palace this weekend. Although City signed left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri in the summer, O'Reilly is showing that he is a very difficult choice to replace.
O'Reilly's appearance in the squad in April last season coincided with a series of 5 wins in six matches in the Premier League, thereby helping Man City return to the Champions League group. When he returned in September, that positive impact was once again clearly shown.
In both campaigns, The Citizens have achieved an impressive winning rate of 82% in 17 Premier League games when O'Reilly started. In his absence, that number dropped sharply to 47%. The team not only scored more goals but also conceded fewer goals every time he was on the field.
Of course, being called up is not the only factor that makes the difference, but these statistics partly explain O'Reilly's value in Guardiola's eyes.
The 20-year-old has risen to become Guardiola's number one choice at left-back, thereby allowing Josko Gvardiol to return to his forte as a centre-back. O'Reilly seems to be holding a similar position in the England team, after impressing coach Thomas Tuchel in the international series last month.
He brought a rare talent profile to this position, when combining the technique of an attacking midfielder with outstanding physical qualities.
With a height of 1m93, his body is an extremely valuable asset in both prohibited areas. More notably, O'Reilly is also in the top 10 fastest players in the Premier League, reaching a maximum speed higher than any other Man City player this season - including Haaland.
According to Guardiola, speaking after the match against Real Madrid, that "incredible" speed gave the team a clear advantage in both attack and defense.
O'Reilly is able to keep up with the opponents as Man City raise their squad, somewhat recreating the style of Kyle Walker before. He was also fast enough to get past the opposition defence in the final third of the pitch, where he continued to make important contributions.
O'Reilly's comprehensive efficiency has been demonstrated throughout the season. He leads Man City in the number of tackles, is third in the number of successful interceptions and ball disputes in the Premier League, and is also classified as a player with the number of shots and the ability to create outstanding opportunities in the squad.
The goal against Real Madrid, scored from close range after a free kick, was his fourth goal since breaking through for Man City. O'Reilly has also provided four assists, and that number would have been a year if Haaland had not been stopped by Thibaut Courtois from his signature pass in the extra time of a game.
With Crystal Palace likely to be without Daniel Munoz on the wing due to injury, O'Reilly will aim to increase his goal contribution this weekend.
