Manchester City began their 2025/26 UEFA Champions League campaign with a convincing 2-0 victory over Napoli, sealing three points on a night that marked the return of former star Kevin De Bruyne to the Etihad Stadium.
Antonio Conte’s Napoli were reduced to ten men after just 26 minutes when captain Giovanni di Lorenzo was sent off for a foul on Erling Haaland. The dismissal forced Conte to substitute De Bruyne, who left the pitch to a standing ovation from both sets of supporters.Despite City’s dominance in the first half, Napoli goalkeeper Vanja Milinković-Savić produced several key saves to deny Phil Foden, Rodri, and Josko Gvardiol, ensuring the Italians went into the interval level.City’s breakthrough came ten minutes after the restart. Foden found Haaland, who clinically headed home to record his 50th UEFA Champions League goal in just 49 matches, breaking the previous record set by Ruud van Nistelrooy. The second goal followed shortly after, with Jeremy Doku weaving past defenders before finishing coolly for 2-0.The result allowed Pep Guardiola’s men to manage the remainder of the contest comfortably, resting key players ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Arsenal.
Player Ratings
- Gianluigi Donnarumma – 7: Rarely tested but dealt with Napoli’s limited chances.
- Abdukodir Khusanov – 7.5: Assured on the right side of defence, tidy in possession.
- Ruben Dias – 7.5: Controlled his duel with Rasmus Højlund, solid throughout.
- Josko Gvardiol – 7: Quiet night defensively, ventured forward on occasion.
- Nico O’Reilly – 7: Comfortable in possession, untroubled defensively.
- Rodri – 7.5: Controlled the tempo, withdrawn early to preserve fitness.
- Tijjani Reijnders – 7.5: Dangerous in advanced areas, assisted Doku’s goal.
- Phil Foden – 8.5 (Man of the Match): Central to City’s creativity, assisted Haaland.
- Bernardo Silva – 7.5: Adaptable role, ensured City maintained control.
- Erling Haaland – 7.5: Won the red card, scored record-breaking opener.
- Jeremy Doku – 8: Lively throughout, capped performance with brilliant solo goal.
Substitutes
- Nico – 6.5: Slotted into City’s possession rhythm.
- Savinho – 6: Energetic but lacked end product.
- Nathan Aké – N/A
- Rico Lewis – N/A
- Oscar Bobb – N/A
FAQs
- Who scored for Manchester City? Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku.
- What record did Haaland break? Fastest player to reach 50 Champions League goals, achieving it in 49 games.
- Why was Kevin De Bruyne substituted? He was sacrificed after Napoli’s captain Giovanni di Lorenzo was sent off.
- What’s next for City? A Premier League fixture against Arsenal on Sunday.
Conclusion
Manchester City delivered a composed and professional performance to beat Napoli 2-0, setting the tone for their European campaign. With Haaland breaking records and Doku dazzling, Pep Guardiola’s side now shift focus to domestic matters against Arsenal this weekend
