Morocco’s Ayyoub Bouaddi shines as Manchester City beat Porto in Champions League

Moroccan teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi delivered an impressive Champions League debut as Manchester City secured a 2-0 victory over Porto at the Estádio do Dragão.

The 18-year-old midfielder started alongside Enzo Fernandez and produced a composed display in City’s midfield before being substituted after 75 minutes.

Erling Haaland scored twice in the second half to seal victory for the English side, but Bouaddi’s performance emerged as one of the standout stories of the night.

Bouaddi impresses on European debut

Making his first Champions League appearance for Manchester City away from home against Porto, Bouaddi showed remarkable maturity under pressure.

The Moroccan completed 54 of his 55 passes, finishing the match with an outstanding 98% pass completion rate.

His influence extended beyond possession, with the teenager recording four passes into the final third, three tackles, one clearance, one interception and seven ball recoveries.

Bouaddi also won five ground duels during an assured performance in one of the most demanding environments in European football.

Praise for Moroccan teenager

Bouaddi’s composure during the first half attracted praise from The Guardian, which described him as looking “very assured”.

The Athletic was also impressed by the teenager’s ability to cope with the occasion, highlighting his confidence in receiving the ball under pressure, finding team-mates and disrupting Porto’s attacking play.

The report also pointed to the trust Bouaddi had already earned from his Manchester City colleagues, with Rayan Cherki willing to play difficult passes into the youngster and rely on him to escape tight situations.

Haaland secures City victory

Manchester City eventually made their dominance count after the break.

Haaland opened the scoring shortly after half-time before adding his second goal in stoppage time to secure all three points for the English club.

Bouaddi was replaced by Mateo Kovacic in the 75th minute, having played a significant role in City’s control of the midfield.

Major investment showing promise

Bouaddi’s performance also drew strong reactions from Manchester City supporters on social media, with many praising his maturity, passing ability and composure.

The teenager joined City from French club Lille during the summer as part of the Premier League side’s investment in the next generation of talent.

For Moroccan football, his emergence at one of Europe’s biggest clubs represents another encouraging development.

At just 18, Bouaddi has already demonstrated that he can perform on the Champions League stage, and his assured debut against Porto offered a convincing early indication of why Manchester City were prepared to invest heavily in one of Morocco’s most promising young talents.