Haaland Praises Bouaddi After City’s Victory Over Porto
Manchester City walked out of Porto with a 2-0 victory and something more valuable than three Champions League points: the sense that an 18‑year‑old might just belong on this stage.
Erling Haaland did what Erling Haaland does, leading the line in a bruising, one‑on‑one battle and then calmly breaking the game open. But when the final whistle went, his thoughts quickly moved from his own missed chances to the teenager making his debut alongside him.
“It was a difficult fight, man against man. They are a top team, honestly they are impressive,” Haaland told Amazon Prime, still sounding like the adrenaline hadn’t quite left his system. “They play amazing football so well done to them, but with all the pressure [on us] we had to deliver on the biggest stage. That’s what we did today.”
City did not stroll through this one. They controlled long spells of the first half, yet Porto’s aggression and high press kept the night on edge.
“I think honestly we controlled the first half,” Haaland said. “A bit uncomfortable when they came a bit high, but we created a lot of chances. I could of easily of had a lot more goals.”
The Norwegian’s frustration was real. He found space, bullied defenders, saw openings. The finishing touch, by his standards, flickered rather than burned. Porto sensed it and came hard after the break.
“Second half we scored and they pushed us for a good 25 minutes, but again we managed to hold through and then finish the game.”
That, for Haaland, is what separates group-stage routine from genuine Champions League work. You ride the storm or you get swallowed by it.
“I think these are the games that we have to win, and we have had a great start to the season. In the Champions League you have to win games because if not you suddenly get all the pressure and then you never know what’s going to happen.”
Amid all of that tension, Bouaddi stepped into the noise as if it were just another training pitch. No fanfare, no easing in. Just an 18-year-old trying to play City football in one of the most demanding arenas in Europe.
Haaland has seen enough in recent weeks to be convinced.
“I think he played a very good game,” he said. “Last couple of weeks in training, I told the chairman that he has been amazing, so I think we have a gem here.”
That word hung in the air. Gem. High praise in a squad stacked with polished stones.
Haaland, though, couldn’t resist adding a striker’s complaint.
“But to be honest, I think he should of played me through in the second half when I was all alone. I was a bit angry, so I will tell him right now, he played a good game, except that pass.”
It was a glimpse into City’s internal standards. Debut or not, age 18 or 28, the expectation does not bend. See the run, make the pass. That is the level.
For Haaland, that pressure is not a burden but the job description.
“We have to demand a lot from each other, and we have to win games. At Man City you have to win games and you have to win trophies.”
On a night when City did both the ugly work and the elegant stuff, an 18‑year‑old held his own and earned the trust of the dressing room’s most ruthless finisher. If this is what Bouaddi looks like on debut, what happens when he starts to see that pass every single time?
