Manchester City began life in the Champions League without Pep Guardiola in charge with a statement 2-0 victory over Porto, as Erling Haaland once again delivered when it mattered most.
Enzo Maresca’s first Champions League game as City’s manager ended in victory at the Estádio do Dragão, although the visitors had to work harder than the final score suggests.
Haaland settled the contest with a second-half double, taking his Champions League career tally to 58 goals and moving above Thomas Müller into seventh place on the competition’s all-time scoring chart.
The Norwegian striker also moved closer to Manchester City’s Champions League scoring record. His 35 goals in 40 appearances for the club leave him just one behind Sergio Agüero’s record of 36.
City had already arrived in Portugal with plenty of confidence after a perfect start to their domestic campaign. Porto had also won their opening five Primeira Liga matches, conceding only once during that run.
But neither side produced much attacking quality during a cagey first half.
That changed after the interval.
City finally broke Porto’s resistance when Haaland finished clinically to put the visitors ahead. Porto responded with greater urgency and began throwing more players forward, but their attacking threat repeatedly faded in the final third.
There was one nervous moment for Maresca when Gianluigi Donnarumma nearly gifted Porto an equaliser. The goalkeeper’s attempted pass was blocked by William Gomes, with the ball ricocheting dangerously close to City’s own goal.
City survived the scare and gradually regained control.
With Porto pushing for an equaliser, space opened up behind the home defence. Rayan Aït-Nouri exploited that space late in the match before cutting the ball back for Haaland, who calmly guided his right-footed finish beyond Diogo Costa.
That second goal effectively ended Porto’s hopes and gave City a valuable three points from one of their toughest away assignments.
The victory is particularly significant because it marks a new European chapter for Manchester City. For the first time since 2015, Guardiola was not on the touchline for the club in the Champions League.
Maresca now has the opportunity to build his own European identity at a club that has become accustomed to competing for the biggest prizes.
Porto, meanwhile, were left to rue their lack of cutting edge. Despite enjoying periods of pressure after City’s opener, Francesco Farioli’s side could not find the finish required to punish the visitors.
City had also arrived with a concerning Champions League away record, having lost six of their previous nine matches on the road in the competition.
But none of that mattered in Porto.
Haaland’s finishing proved decisive, City’s defence held firm when required, and Maresca’s European reign got off to the perfect start.
For City, the message is already clear: the Guardiola era may be over, but the Champions League ambition has not gone anywhere.
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