Manchester City didn’t need Erling Haaland to secure a comfortable 5‑1 win over AEK Athens in their 150th Champions League match, bouncing back from last week’s 2‑4 loss at the Etihad. With the Norwegian striker sidelined, Phil Foden delivered a hat‑trick and an assist.
Enzo Maresca rested Haaland after a foot knock on Saturday, following his brace against Ipswich. He started 17‑year‑old Floyd Samba, who made his Champions debut alongside Brazilian winger Allan, signed from Palmeiras this summer. Both youngsters first wore the sky‑blue shirt in September’s League Cup clash with Norwich, while substitutes Ryan McAidoo and Kaden Braithwaite also earned their Champions minutes.
Lineup with absences, rotations and new faces
Despite missing Semenyo, O’Reilly, Matheus Nunes and Kovacic, City’s rotated side remained recognisable and dominated the game. Allan’s flair on the left gave the midfield extra width. In my view, Foden’s leadership turned the match into a showcase.
Elliot Anderson opened the scoring in the 12th minute, nudging a free‑kick from Enzo Fernández that ricocheted off the post and into the empty net after goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli’s back.
Foden kicks off his festival. Can he keep this momentum into the next round?
Allan struck a low effort that the keeper smothered, but two minutes later a one‑two with Rico Lewis set up Foden, who blasted the ball past Brignoli to make it 2‑0.
MANCHESTER CITY
AEK ATHENS
View match sheet
Manchester City: Donnarumma; Rico Lewis, Khusanov, Rúben Dias (Kaden Braithwaite, 83′), Gvardiol (Vitor Reis, 72′); Elliot Anderson, Enzo Fernández (Aït‑Nouri, 72′); Foden, Cherki, Allan; Floyd Samba (McAidoo, 62′)
AEK Athens: Brignoli; Rota, Moukoudi, Relvas, Pilios; Majer, Arriaga (Gacinovic, 83′), Razvan Marin (Koita, 46′), João Mário (Zubkov, 63′); Luka Jovic (Vitális, 83′), Varga (Zini, 46′)
Goals: 1‑0 Elliot Anderson (12′), 2‑0 Foden (34′), 2‑1 Pilios (52′), 3‑1 Cherki (57′), 4‑1 Foden (65′), 5‑1 Foden (76′)
Referee: Willy Delajod (France). Yellow card to Gvardiol (59′)
Attendance: 38,000 at Etihad Stadium
AEK never truly threatened a vastly superior City, but early in the second half Stavros Pilios surged forward, crossing to Gianluigi Donnarumma after a scramble with Zini in the 52nd minute.