Haaland says Manchester City must adapt to ‘new way’ under Maresca after Porto win

Erling Haaland says Manchester City must learn to operate under a “new way” with Enzo Maresca after opening their UEFA Champions League campaign with a 2-0 victory over Porto.

The Manchester City striker was pleased with the result in Portugal, particularly after what he described as a difficult match against the Portuguese champions.

“We have to learn the new way with Enzo Maresca and keep working,” Haaland said after the game.

“I hope the manager is happy because we won away from home in a difficult match.”

Haaland scored both goals as Manchester City returned from the Dragao stadium in Lisbon with three valuable points. He opened the scoring with a header in the 46th minute before completing the win with a right-footed finish in the first minute of added time.

The result gave Manchester City the ideal start to their Champions League campaign, while Porto were left without a point from a match Haaland expected to be demanding from the outset.

“It was a great match against the champions of Portugal,” he said. “We knew it would be a difficult, man-to-man contest because they are a big team.”

The Norway international praised his team-mates for the quality of their performance and said Manchester City had shown the level required in a high-pressure European fixture.

“Everyone was impressive. They play great football,” Haaland added.

“With all the pressure, we had to give our best on the big stage, and that is what we did. We controlled the whole first half and created chances.”

Manchester City’s control before the interval eventually translated into goals after the break, with Haaland’s movement and finishing proving decisive. His first came shortly after half-time, when he found the net with a header, while his late second ensured there would be no final push from Porto.

Haaland also believed he could have added to his tally during the match, but said the most important outcome was securing victory in a fixture Manchester City were expected to win.

“I could easily have scored more goals, and these are the matches we have to win,” he said.

The forward’s two goals ensured Manchester City began their European campaign with a clean sheet and a two-goal margin. Their victory at Porto also provided an important early result in a demanding competition, with Haaland stressing that the team must continue adapting and working under Maresca’s approach.