Man City News

[Mararnt87]

New Signings Confirmed at the End of the Transfer Window!

While it looked like manager Kim Roskifte was done with his business and squad adjustments, several moves were made last week. Most of these involve the U21 squad, but the signings are significant and once again show that the club’s focus on the U21 team remains intact. These new arrivals will significantly strengthen the U21 side. That’s especially important considering key players like Bischof and Marsh have now moved on from the U21s to play senior football.

That’s how a well-functioning youth system works—players develop so much that they graduate to the senior level. This is excellent news for the club as a whole, but for the U21s, it naturally means a loss of quality and a weaker team overall. That’s why it’s vital to find new players or new ways to ensure we still have a competitive team every season, even after losing key talent. It’s crucial to replace those departures and maintain a strong team so that both the squad and individual players continue progressing.

The U21 team had a very strong league season last year, finishing 2nd in the table. That was largely thanks to Marsh and Bischof, who performed at an incredibly high level, but they weren’t the only contributors. The manager firmly believes that as long as we can replace these two with new signings, the team will remain competitive—even though it will be nearly impossible to replace them like-for-like.

Let’s take a look at what the club and manager have done over the past few weeks to ensure the U21 squad is ready for the upcoming season:

Scouting a Replacement for Marsh
Manchester City’s scouts were given the task of finding a 16-year-old to replace Marsh. The easier route would have been to find an 18-year-old who is further along in development, likely giving better short-term returns. But the club’s philosophy is to bring in youth players as early as possible so they can be developed internally, according to the club’s principles. A 16-year-old also offers a longer development window than an 18-year-old.

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H_Swed 16 UAE 1 ‪4 10 32 30 300 300‬ 300 100

This was not an easy assignment for the scouts—real quality and exceptional potential had to be found to justify the time and money needed for a signing.
The choice landed on the following player:

Swed is an enormous talent, and there’s no doubt the scouts did a fantastic job here. Their part is now done. It's now up to the club and manager to nurture this talent. They’ve been handed a high-potential player exactly as requested, and it’s now about managing him well—first to succeed at the U21 level, and eventually to become a top senior player.

As always when the club evaluates young players, quality matters, but so do attitude and personality. The manager has said repeatedly that there are many players with skill and potential—but far fewer who have the hunger, humility, confidence, and professionalism required to make it to the top. He believes Swed is one of those rare players, and we’re excited to see him in action!

Diakite Loaned Out!
The club has a long-standing tradition of loaning out 1–2 Youth players, ideally 16-year-olds with high potential but without a guaranteed starting spot in their first U21 season. Once again, the club has followed this model and loaned out Diakité to QPR for the entire upcoming season.

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C_Diakite+    16 ENG  1 29 11  6 29 300 330 359 340

There were several reasons why this loan made a lot of sense to Kim Roskifte. First, he’s not interested in loaning players to just any club. A poorly executed loan, or one where agreements aren't respected, can harm the player's development and even kill their motivation.
By sending him to QPR, Diakité joins a well-functioning team that will play in UG2 this season. The manager is confident QPR will perform well in that league, giving Diakite a perfect opportunity to grow as both a footballer and a person.

On top of that, Roskifte knows QPR manager Pedro Alberti well and trusts him to prioritize player development—even for players not permanently at the club. We saw this last season with the loan of Moss, who made massive progress at QPR.

Diakite was also very receptive to the move. He knows that he remains an important part of the club’s long-term plans. This loan is expected to be for just one season, as the club believes Diakite will be more than ready to get regular U21 minutes from next season—assuming he develops well during this loan spell.

Two Auction Signings!
For a while, it looked like Manchester City wouldn’t have enough funds to take part in Round 1 of the Youth Auction. However, the club worked hard to secure the resources, as the manager has always believed auctions are a great way to pick up quality players at lower prices than the open market.

In Round 1, it was clear early on that City wasn’t willing to place high bids.
The plan was to bring in players who would instantly strengthen the team, but not at any cost. City placed bids in the 31–42M range, but this proved slightly too low.
In fact, City was the only participating club that didn’t win a player in Round 1.

You could call it a failed auction—and in some ways, it was—but the manager was unwavering. He believed that with Round 2 still ahead, the chances of success remained high.

In Round 2, City stuck with the same strategy: low bids on players who could improve the U21 team. It again looked like the bids might fall short—but finally, with Bid #6, City won a player:

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M_Waddani     17 LIB  1 12 30 10 39 300 500 700 500

This was a very solid signing for the U21s. Waddani, only 17, is a player with high potential who goes straight into the starting XI. With a transfer fee of just 28M, City landed a “Kinder egg” player—one who strengthens the squad now, has long-term potential, and came at a bargain price.

Though the auction started poorly, it ended very well. Thanks to this low fee, the club also had room to participate in Round 3. Finances still had to be managed carefully, but the club was confident in its strategy and chances.

To raise additional funds for Round 3, City sold Holland for 38M. Holland is a solid U21 player who would’ve played many minutes this season—but at 19, the club felt his potential had plateaued. They didn’t see him becoming a senior player, so they made the pragmatic decision to sell and reinvest.

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I_Holland 19 ENG ‪1 12 30 11 27 300 891‬ 763 708

Round 3
In Round 3, Manchester City once again used the same approach: targeting undervalued players who can both contribute now and develop into senior talent.

Bid 1: 50.75M on Donovan – unsuccessful
Bid 2: 50.75M on Thwaites – unsuccessful
With just one bid left, the question was whether they had gone too low again and would miss out entirely like in Round 1.

BUT—on the final bid, they succeeded:
They bought Bloomer for 50.75M.

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G_Bloomer     17 ENG  1 10 30 10 30 300 700 300 700

Bloomer is a very promising 17-year-old, and the club is thrilled to have landed him.

That means for 78.75M total, City signed two midfielders who both go straight into the starting lineup and have serious long-term potential. A difficult, but ultimately very successful Youth Auction for the club.

Sale of McLaughlin to QPR
With both Waddani and Bloomer signed, it became clear the U21 squad had too many midfielders. It would be impossible to give all of them enough minutes to develop properly. Holding onto a young player with potential but not playing him kills his value—so the logical move was to sell McLaughlin now rather than let him go a full season with minimal playing time.

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H_McLaughlin  16 SCO  1 12 27  9 25 300 413 583 471

The club sold McLaughlin for 30M, and also received Lawal as part of the deal.

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B_Lawal       21 ENG  1 11 25  9 23 300 838 383 588

This gave us extra funds and a backup option in case of injuries. Lawal has little market value even though he’s young, so losing a season of playing time won’t matter much.

We’re happy with this solution and wish McLaughlin continued success in his development at QPR.

In Summary:
It’s clear that the senior team was the club’s top priority early in the window, but once that was settled, significant improvements were made to the U21 team. Both squads now look strong, and most likely, the club’s transfer business is now complete for this window.

[Mararnt87]

Squad review Youth team
Part 1: Goalkeepers and Defenders

Goalkeepers:

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H_Bullen      17 ENG 32  1  1  1 25 838 300 300 300
I_Radu        26 ROU 29  1  1  1 24 853 300 300 300

Bullen

Bullen is clearly the first-choice goalkeeper and a player the club has invested significant resources into developing. The plan is for him to eventually take over as senior keeper from Mendy in a few years. But that depends on Bullen progressing at the right pace.
His first season was a nightmare – 13 games missed due to two different injuries. He lost a lot of development time that season and has needed time to regain rhythm and calmness in his game. Here’s how he performed last year:
* Games played: 32
* Minutes played: 3040
* Saves: 135
* Goals conceded: 46
* Man of the Match awards: 0
As we can see from the minutes played, it was fortunately an injury-free season for Bullen – which was hugely important for him. He’ll grow from that, and now is when the real development should kick in.
Let’s not forget he was only 16 years old last year. The stats could certainly have been better, and there’s a lot to work on. But the club still believes that Bullen can become a top senior goalkeeper in the future, even if his first two years have been a bit challenging.
We believe this will be the season where he truly shows his class and talent.

Radu
Only a backup keeper and wont have any gametime unless Bullen gets injured. Lets hope not.

Defenders:

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J_Roswell     18 ENG  1 32 13  8 30 300 266 148 639
D_Abu         21 ENG  1 32 16 12 28 300 500   8   3
C_Small       18 ENG  1 31 12  6 21 300 415 640 601
S_Mfuni       18 ENG  1 31 12  7 28 300 159 268 486
S_Amissah     17 ENG  1 30 10  4 25 300 183 207 952
L_Moss        16 ENG  1 29 10  6 27 300 484 323 280

Roswell

Currently the best defender in the squad, and a player with a very real chance of making the jump to the senior team within a season or two.
But there’s still work to do, which makes this season incredibly important for Roswell. This could well be the season where he either proves he’s ready for the senior squad next year – or shows that he still needs more time. Either way, he’s a key player for our Youth team this season. Here's his performance from last year:
* Games played: 31
* Minutes played: 2611
* Key tackles: 23
* Key passes: 16
* Shots: 16
* Goals: 3
* Assists: 1
* Man of the Match awards: 0
A decent season last year, but we expect Roswell to take another step forward this season and perform at an even higher level.

Abu

Abu was originally a senior player, but the club has decided to move him down to the Youth team. The reason is that we have strong depth in his position at senior level, allowing us to take this opportunity.
We also believe this will give Abu more minutes and a greater chance to continue developing into a key senior player for us. On top of that, Abu immediately raises the quality level in this Youth squad – so it’s really a win-win situation.
We expect Abu to perform at a very high level and to take on a leadership role within this Youth team.

Small

Small is a player who hasn’t quite developed the way the club had hoped over the past two seasons. He’s still a talented player and has solid qualities at the UG1 level. But time is starting to run out for Small if he’s going to become a future senior player.
This season will be crucial for him personally, as we have 16-year-olds who could soon challenge for his spot. So he’s essentially playing for his future at the club – and could be one of those sacrificed after this season if he doesn’t perform at a high level. Here's how he did last season:
* Games played: 26
* Minutes played: 1978
* Key tackles: 27
* Key passes: 12
* Shots: 5
* Goals: 0
* Assists: 3
* Man of the Match awards: 1
His playing time decreased towards the end of the season as others outperformed him. Three assists is a solid return, but we expect more from Small. We put last season behind us and are giving him renewed trust at the start of this one.

Mfuni

Mfuni will be an important defender for us this season, but similar to Small, he needs to improve his performances and development if he’s going to have any chance of becoming a senior player within a few seasons. Here's his stats from last year:
* Games played: 25
* Minutes played: 1978
* Key tackles: 16
* Key passes: 12
* Shots: 5
* Goals: 0
* Assists: 1
* Man of the Match awards: 0
Not good enough from Mfuni last year. We expect more from a young player who’s considered an established Youth team member at this level.
He needs to take more responsibility and be more commanding on the pitch. He still plays with a degree of uncertainty, and that needs to change going into this season.

Amissah

Another young defender who has the potential to develop into a senior player – but he must keep up the pace of development. Amissah showed enough promise last year that the club still has strong faith in him.
He can expect more minutes this season compared to last, and the club expects him to take big steps forward.
With Amissah, Small, and Mfuni, we saw last season that the club had a few too many defenders sharing minutes. Combined with the team’s early cup exit, that meant they all played fewer minutes than ideal for their development.
It’s also tough for young players to find consistency when they’re not starting several games in a row – and that definitely affected their form and growth. Here's how Amissah performed last season:
* Games played: 29
* Minutes played: 2294
* Key tackles: 26
* Key passes: 13
* Shots: 9
* Goals: 1
* Assists: 4
* Man of the Match awards: 0
A fairly strong season for Amissah, as mentioned. Five goal contributions isn’t bad at all, and there’s plenty to build on.

Moss

A newcomer to the team, and only 16 years old, but still expected to get plenty of playing time this year.
The club sees him as a massive talent and is fully committed to investing in him from day one.
It will be exciting to see how Moss handles his first season at this level. This year isn’t make-or-break for him, as he’ll be a long-term project over many seasons.
We’ll give him the time he needs to find his rhythm, but he’s the kind of player who should be able to handle pressure – and we believe he’s already ready to deliver high-quality performances.

Summary
A pretty good bunch of Youth defenders here and a top notch goalkeeper. Everyone of them should have more than enough quality to be playing in the UG1 and do well in the cup competition.
2-3 of these players can still be top senior players in the future.

[Mararnt87]

Strong Start to the Season for the Youth Team!

The season is well underway, and our Youth team has already played three matches. There's a lot of anticipation around whether this team is good enough this year after losing extremely valuable players like Bischof and Marsh to the senior team.

Let’s take a closer look at their first three matches.

Round 1 UG1
Manchester City U21s vs Nottingham Forest U21s
Final Score: 1 - 0

We started the season with a home match where, on paper, we should be the better team. However, in UG1 we’ve dropped points in such home games several times before, and since it was also the first match of the season, this was a game we definitely didn’t take lightly.

We began the game on the front foot, creating some chances early, but it was clear from the start that this could easily turn into a grind. Fortunately, we got our reward in the 19th minute when Matthews won the ball himself and finished brilliantly. An important goal to settle the nerves and avoid having to be overly patient as the game went on. Now that we had the lead, we could relax a bit more.

The issue as the game progressed was that we became too focused on defending the lead and didn’t take the initiative when we had the chance. The second half became a bit messy, with both teams creating chances, but you got the feeling that Manchester City played well below their potential. Understandable, perhaps, considering it’s the first match and the players still need time to build chemistry.

As the half wore on, the focus increasingly became about securing the three points. In the final 20 minutes, the result became more important than the performance. That’s also a learning experience for these young players—playing smart and managing a result when necessary. The boys saw it through and held onto the lead.

Far from our best display, but it was about starting the season with three points, and we managed that. Performances will, and must, improve as the season progresses and the team gels more.

Top 3 Players from the Match:

Bullen
Looked far more confident and composed compared to last season. It’s clear the goalkeeper has taken big steps since then, and starting with a clean sheet only adds to his growing confidence. He made three crucial saves, controlled and directed the back four, and gained 45 kabs. A very strong showing from Bullen.
Mfuni
Did a lot of things right in several aspects of the game. Registered 2 key tackles, 3 key passes, and was named Man of the Match. His offensive contributions were particularly pleasing, showing exactly how we want our defenders to play—calm, constructive, and brave on the ball. 40 tabs and 30 pabs gained.
Waddani
One of our latest signings, and what a debut it was. He dominated midfield in an excellent way and showed promising traits in his game. Registered 4 key passes and can look back on a very strong debut for the club. 40 pabs gained.

FA Youth Cup – Group Game 1

So, a good start in the league, but in youth football, the cup is slightly different—as it’s nearly as important as the league. The cup ensures players get enough minutes, aiding development. Last season’s cup performance was poor, so we’re eager to bounce back this year.

Manchester City U21s vs Brentford U21s
Final Score: 1 - 0

This match was in many ways very similar to the previous league game against Forest. Another home match that, on paper, we should win if we’re to advance from the group. But again, it turned into a grind where we had to fight for all three points.

Thankfully, we scored early again—this time in the 14th minute, when Any found Rodriguez, who finished with a great shot. From there, we remained the better side in terms of overall play, though we didn’t create many clear chances. However, we dominated possession and limited Brentford to very few opportunities.

Ideally, we’d like to have shone more in attack and won by a larger margin, but ultimately, advancing from the group is the goal. So these three points were very important and give us a great start to our cup campaign!

Top 3 Players from the Match:

Amissah
A fantastic game where he completely dominated Brentford’s attackers while also creating chances for us going forward. 3 key tackles and 1 key pass.
75 tabs, 25 pabs, and 15 sabs gained—a total of 115 abs gained. Incredible numbers!
Owusu
Expectations for Owusu are sky-high this season, and this match showed just how important he’ll be. He produced 2 key tackles in critical moments and was exceptional in controlling the tempo and flow of the game.
55 tabs, 15 pabs, and 15 sabs gained—totaling 85 abs.
Waddani
What a start this player has had. He was fantastic in the last game. This time, he started on the bench but came on for 38 minutes—and used that time very well, showing he’s playing at a very high level. He produced 3 key passes and gained 30 pabs—his second match in a row making the top 3 list.

UG1 Round 2

Newcastle United U21s vs Manchester City U21s

A tough away game awaited us. Newcastle has a solid U21 team with quality players across the pitch. We needed to maintain the strong defensive work from the first two games, but also be better offensively to stand a chance of taking all three points.

We approached this match with a slightly different tactic than in the previous two to try to achieve exactly that.

Final Score: 0 - 3

An almost perfectly executed away performance. This was a very strong showing and result for us, and we can now conclude a very good start to the season for our Youth team.

The worst period in the game was the first 30 minutes, when Newcastle played the better football and looked the most dangerous. That phase was crucial in terms of riding it out without conceding. We managed to do that—had Newcastle scored during their good spell, the match and result might have turned out very differently.

After those 30 minutes, we took control leading into halftime. Unlike Newcastle, we capitalized on our strong period.

In the 37th minute, Owusu made a perfect touch that allowed him to deliver a brilliant pass to Small, who scored with a beautiful volley—even our strikers would’ve been proud of it. 1-0.

We suddenly played with more flow and confidence, and just minutes later, we were on the attack again. Once more, Owusu was the architect, finding Swed on a run. Swed made no mistake and scored his first goal for the club. 2-0 just before halftime, and we went into the break with a great feeling.

The second half unfolded as expected—mainly about protecting the lead and not taking unnecessary risks. At times, we might have been a bit too passive, but we never looked like losing control. At the very end, we added a third with a beautifully taken free kick by Matthews.

A very good match with a perfect away result—job done.

Top 3 Players from the Match:

Bullen
He’s a completely different player compared to the start of last season. Now, he looks like a match-winner who can earn us a lot of points if he keeps this up. Produced 8 saves and gained 55 kabs.
Owusu
What a class player we have here. It’s still early in the season, but it’s becoming clear that he’ll likely be ready for the senior team by next season—even though he’ll only be 18. He produced two key passes—both beautiful assists—and gained 40 pabs.
Bloomer
A player who may be in the shadow of Waddani and Owusu’s strong start, but Bloomer is not one to be overlooked. He comes across as a very solid midfielder at this level. He made 2 key passes and gained 15 tabs, 35 pabs, and 15 sabs—a total of 65 abs.
Summary
It’s still very early to draw any major conclusions, but things look very promising. We appear to be a team capable of competing for top positions again this season.

[Mararnt87]

A very strong season for Manchester City
Both the senior team and the youth team.

After several seasons of solid development in the team, where it felt like an eternity since they were a mediocre Championship club, it was this season that they were going to take another step forward.

The goal before the season was quite clear. The senior team was supposed to continue its development and, this season, aim to reach the Champions League by finishing in the top 4 in the Premier League. In addition, they were to gain valuable European experience through the Europa League, where the goal was set extremely high: to win the European tournament, even though they knew strong teams like Spurs were participating.

For the youth team, the goals—and certainly the expectations—were also very high. The aim was for the youth team to finally win the league, after having come close several seasons without fully succeeding. In the cup, the goal was to advance further, but it was understood that this could also be a success given the amount of quality in the team at the start of the season.

It is very easy to set big goals; really, it is just a matter of saying them. The difficult part is actually achieving them. What is even more difficult is being ready to do whatever it takes to make it happen.

We entered the season with high hopes, great expectations, and excitement. The season ended fantastically and was a strong confirmation of how far this club has come.

The results were as follows:

Senior Team:

2nd place in the Premier League

Europa League champions

Youth Team:

1st place in UG1

Youth Cup winners

As we mentioned at the beginning, this team not very long ago was a mediocre Championship club, and now we are European champions and a major Premier League club. The youth team is one of the best in the world, with good results for a long time.

We are extremely satisfied and proud of where this club is at the present moment. We will continue to take steps forward, but it is no secret that the next step no longer means just competing, it means winning titles. That is as simple as it is, and there is no reason why this team should set any lower ambitions than precisely that.

We will go through the season in more detail, covering the Premier League campaign, the Europa League campaign, as well as both competitions for our excellent youth team.

Premier League Season

Let us start with the Premier League season, which ended in 2nd place, behind a very deserved winner in Bournemouth.

Table:

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Pl   Team                      P    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
-------------------------------------------------------------------
1    Bournemouth              26   14   7   5    49   21   28    49
2    Manchester_City          26   12   9   5    30   24    6    45
3    Leicester_City           26   12   5   9    31   19   12    41
4    Liverpool                26   12   5   9    41   39    2    41
5    Everton                  26   10   8   8    32   37   -5    38
6    Swansea_City             26   10   6  10    31   27    4    36
7    Norwich_City             26   10   6  10    34   31    3    36
8    Arsenal                  26    9   8   9    35   38   -3    35
9    Queens_Park_Rangers      26    9   7  10    28   25    3    34
10   Tottenham_Hotspur        26    6  15   5    23   20    3    33
11   Manchester_United        26    8   6  12    22   27   -5    30
12   Burnley                  26    8   6  12    35   44   -9    30
13   Crystal_Palace           26    8   3  15    29   36   -7    27
14   Sunderland               26    7   3  16    22   54  -32    24

Let us look at some statistics before reviewing the matches and identifying the standout games of the season:

Points: 45
As we can see from the points total, the Premier League is such a tight and tough league that every single point counts. Five more points, and we could have called ourselves champions. Seven points fewer, and we would have been outside the Champions League spots.

Wins: 12

Draws: 9

Losses: 5

The number of wins ideally should have come a couple of weeks earlier in the season, which would have meant we could have competed for the title against Bournemouth. Even though we only finished five points behind the winners, we were never really in the title race, as Bournemouth pulled away early in the season. A couple of early draws destroyed any real chance of winning the league, even though the table looks the way it does.

Nine draws mean that with a little more luck, a little more skill, we could have been there. But we weren’t, and one can always flip it: if some of these had ended in losses, things could have looked different for us and for our competitors.

Losses: 5
This is very strong. No team in the league had fewer than five losses, and we, along with Bournemouth and Spurs, were the teams with the fewest losses during the season. Next on the list was Everton with 8 losses.

Goals for: 30

Goals against: 24

Goal difference: 6

Goals scored were 30, something we would have ideally liked to be higher. The matches we led were rarely decided by multiple goals; almost all the games we played were tight matches. Our strikers, Kudus and Kalajdzic, delivered decent seasons, but especially Kalajdzic got off to a slow start, and neither of them reached the best level we know they can achieve over a season.

Goals conceded were at one point close to being a record low, but some ugly results toward the end of the season affected this statistic. Still, only two teams conceded fewer goals than us: Leicester and the eventual winners Bournemouth.

The goal difference really shows what we have already described: almost all of our matches were very close, both in terms of performance and results. Very few matches were such that we could “kill” the result, partly due to quality, but also because when the league is so tough and close, and points are so extremely valuable, we often played for the result, trying to secure points rather than attack for more goals.

Round 1: Bournemouth 3–3 Manchester City
Goalscorers: Luis Diaz, Sessegnon, Marsh

This was a very tough start, but also a very good one, especially after falling two goals behind and managing to fight back to equalize at the very end. It felt like one point gained rather than two lost. This perspective looks even better in hindsight, knowing how the season ended with Bournemouth as champions.

Round 2: Manchester City 1–0 Liverpool
Goalscorer: Kudus

Again, a very tough opponent. The schedule was not going to make it easy for us early on. We managed to secure a win after taking the lead relatively early in the match. From that point on, everything was about holding the lead and taking the three points. Four points from the first two tough matches was undoubtedly an exciting and very good start to the season.

Round 3: Leicester City 2–1 Manchester City
Goalscorer: Kudus

The first defeat of the season came away to a very strong opponent with a very good manager in Leicester. A tough away match where we felt that nothing went our way, except for a good goal from Kudus. This was a typical example of how tough this league was going to be, and the challenge of going away and taking three points was going to demand a lot from us. In terms of performance, we quickly realized that what we were producing was not good enough.

Round 4: Sunderland 1–0 Manchester City

After a tough away game against Leicester, we faced another away game where, on paper, we should have secured at least one point. We did not, and what began very well now looked quite bad after four matches. This was far from the level we wanted to be at. If there was no reason for concern, there was at least a reason to wake up and raise our level in many ways. It was also slightly alarming that our striker Kalajdzic still had not scored a Premier League goal for us. It was still early, but we could see that the more games went by without scoring, the more difficult it would become for him.

Round 5: Manchester City 0–0 Queens Park Rangers

Mixed feelings after this match. On one hand, every home game is one we aim to win. Furthermore, this was another match without a goal from Kalajdzic, and our offensive play looked simply too weak.

On the other hand, QPR is a fantastic team that is by no means easy to face. The problem is that this can be said about many teams, so three points at home are essential if we want to end up high on the table.

After five rounds, we were 10th in a very tight league, but not so tight that we were already seven points behind the leader, who at that point was Arsenal with 12 points. No crisis, but clearly a lot of work ahead after five Premier League games.

Round 6: Crystal Palace 0–1 Manchester City
Goalscorer: Kudus

After three matches without a win, we were finally back on the winning track, and it felt like a very important victory. Perhaps it is stretching it to call it season-defining, but both immediately after the match and in retrospect, we could see that this win did something for the team. A loss here could have created unrest and affected our confidence for the rest of the season. So this was undoubtedly a very satisfying victory in many ways. Kalajdzic was still not in form, but our second striker was at least performing well at this point.

Round 7: Manchester City 2–1 Norwich City
Goalscorers: Bischof, Kudus

An enormous victory against a very good team and manager. We showed that we faced a team that had not had a good start to the season and were certainly playing with lower confidence than usual when visiting. This was a prime opportunity to take three points, something our manager had rarely managed before this match.

Especially pleasing was that Kudus once again found the net and was on fire in the previous rounds. Bischof, the other goalscorer, delivered exactly what we needed from the team: midfielders starting to contribute goals and assists. Particularly those in slightly more offensive roles, like Sessegnon, Diaz, and Bischof. All three were now in motion, which was very positive. This was our first “back-to-back” victory of the season.

Round 8: Burnley 1–2 Manchester City
Goalscorers: Ebere, Kudus

Our third consecutive victory, and things began to look much better for us than a few rounds earlier. Kudus was once again on the score sheet, and another goal contribution came from a midfielder. A positive moment for Ebere, who had struggled with playing time and performances at the start of the season.

Three consecutive wins brought us up from 10th place to 6th with 13 points—only three points behind 2nd place and just four points behind the league leaders, who had now overtaken Arsenal.

Round 9: Manchester City 1–1 Swansea City
Goalscorer: Bellerin

Five matches in a row without defeat, but this felt like two points lost, even though we equalized very late in the game. Home games like this must be won in the Premier League, where difficult matches come one after another. This does not mean Swansea is a poor team by any means, but if we have high ambitions, we must accept that anything less than a win in matches like this is not enough. It was a disappointing result and a disappointing performance from the team in this match.

Round 10: Everton 1–1 Manchester City
Goalscorer: Kalajdzic

And there he was finally in the Premier League. It took 10 Premier League games before Kalajdzic started scoring, and there is no doubt that this had cost us some points in the first nine matches. A draw against last year’s winners Everton in a very tight and even match was a fair and reasonable outcome for the team.

Round 11: Manchester City 2–2 Arsenal
Goalscorers: Kudus, Marsh

This was a rollercoaster of a match. It began with our key player, Sessegnon, getting injured shortly after Arsenal had taken the lead. So it was, to say the least, a very difficult start to this game.

We managed to overcome the shock and came back into the game before halftime, which was very important. In the second half, it turned into a very open football match, where both teams could have taken the three points.

Yet another disappointing draw at home. And knowing how tight this league is, after only 11 games, it was already clear that if winning the league was the goal, it would become almost impossible with so many home draws. If anyone wondered where a potential title slipped away, it was precisely because of this.

Round 12: Tottenham Hotspur 0–0 Manchester City

Draws were now coming one after another. An away draw against Spurs was not a crisis, especially during this period, when draws were common across the Premier League. After 12 games, we remained 6th place, only three points behind 2nd, but the gap to 1st place was growing, and we were now nine points behind the league leaders Bournemouth.

Round 13: Manchester City 0–2 Leicester City

The terrible home form punished us again, this time not with a draw but a painful defeat against Leicester. The good form from Rounds 6–8 was now gone, and we found ourselves looking down at the table, observing who was chasing us instead of chasing others.

This was also our second consecutive game without scoring, which was becoming a slight concern. It was now the fourth game in the league where we left the field without scoring.

Round 14: Manchester City 1–1 Manchester United
Goalscorer: Shaw

Once again, we dropped points at home in a game we should have won on paper. Looking back, it is remarkable how many points were lost in drawn home games against supposedly weaker opponents.

A further confirmation of how tough this league actually is. When facing a world-class manager, as we did here, one must perform at their very best to secure three points. Unfortunately, we did not manage this.

The trend of neither Kudus nor Kalajdzic finding the net, and missing big chances during this period, was also something that had to change if we wanted to climb the table.

At this point, the table showed we were still 6th, four points behind 2nd, but a full 12 points behind league leaders Bournemouth. So winning the league was already a lost cause, and the motivation now was purely to secure a Champions League spot, which, in fact, had been the goal before the season started.

We had not won since Round 8, six matches earlier. A victory was becoming critically necessary, otherwise this could turn into a relegation battle instead of a fight for Champions League qualification.

Round 15: Liverpool 2–2 Manchester City
Goalscorers: Bischof, Kalajdzic

This result and performance were really difficult to evaluate. We had demanded more goals, and we got two away against a very strong team. We had demanded Kalajdzic to step up, and he scored. We had demanded better overall performances, and we got that here.

It was difficult to be angry or disappointed with the players after this match because they delivered a very good and entertaining game. But the fact remains that this was our seventh match in a row without a win, and clean sheets had become the exception rather than the rule.

Here, it was very important to focus on the good performance rather than the result or league position, as we realized this was a performance we could build on.

Round 16: Norwich City 1–2 Manchester City
Goalscorers: Kalajdzic, Kudus

Here came the long-awaited victory! It felt incredibly important for us. Now there were only ten games left after this, and this win actually felt somewhat season-defining. A loss here would have meant more worries at the lower end of the table, especially given our streak of seven matches without a win.

Now that streak was broken, and we could start looking forward and upward. This was a crucial victory, something we could build on. Not only that, but a match where both of our strikers scored. One of the best days of the season, and the importance of this result cannot be overstated.

The victory meant that despite the previous streak of seven matches without a win, we were still in contention for a Champions League spot, sitting in 5th place with 23 points, just one point behind 2nd place Arsenal.

The league was still incredibly tight, where even a single victory could make a major difference in the table.

Round 17: Manchester City 0–1 Everton

We quickly came back down to earth after the away win against Norwich. Once again, our home form failed us, this time with a defeat against a strong Everton side. Our home points and victories had been terrible so far this season, no matter who we faced.

It did not get easier when Kalajdzic received a foolish red card shortly after Everton had scored in the first half. We had said that the Norwich match was one of the season’s highlights, and this felt like the complete opposite, especially after finally having a good experience in the previous round.

At this point, no one could have predicted that the season would end as positively as it ultimately did.

Round 18: Manchester United 0–0 Manchester City

There was some improvement compared to the previous game, and perhaps we could argue that we deserved better in this match. At the same time, it was becoming urgent to start collecting wins if we wanted to achieve the main goal of reaching the Champions League.

Although the league was tight, and a draw in matches like this was not a disaster, we were now 8th in the table, just three points from a Champions League spot and four points from 2nd place. However, there were several teams between us, and with only eight matches remaining, opportunities to climb the table were limited.

Round 19: Manchester City 2–1 Tottenham Hotspur
Goalscorers: Christensen, Kudus

Finally, a major result at home, and importantly, a three-point win at home. The game started dramatically, as we took the lead after just three minutes. Shortly after, Spurs equalized, before we regained the lead. And all this happened in just 23 minutes of play.

As if that was not enough, Sessegnon received a red card one minute after our second goal. This meant we had to adjust our tactics and hold the lead, which was not easy against such a strong team with a player down for so long.

But we managed it, and the players had to dig deep to secure the victory. This makes a win taste even better. A major victory for us and hopefully the start of a strong final sprint in the league with seven matches remaining.

After this win, we were in 5th place, only two points behind Leicester in 4th and four points behind Everton in 2nd.

Round 20: Swansea City 0–2 Manchester City
Goalscorer: Kalajdzic x2

A wonderful back-to-back win in the league, and importantly, Kalajdzic seemed to have found his form, albeit a bit late. The team as a whole also seemed to have hit peak form, late but better than never. The match was a well-executed away game, and suddenly we were in 3rd place, making a Champions League spot feel entirely realistic.

Round 21: Manchester City 1–0 Crystal Palace
Goalscorer: Owusu

There was so much positive to take from this match, making it one of the highlights of the season. For one, it was our third consecutive victory. Secondly, the “home curse” seemed to have disappeared. Third, this marked two clean sheets in a row.

Additionally, Owusu had just been promoted from the academy. The 18-year-old had taken the step up to the senior squad and was not merely there to participate—he came to make a real impact in the final stretch of the season. Five minutes before full-time, he scored the winning goal.

This moment was truly magical and highlighted what the club has been building for years: investing in youth development without compromising the senior team.

Round 22: Manchester City 1–0 Bournemouth
Goalscorer: Kudus

By this point, there was no doubt—we were at our best form of the season, playing with immense confidence and discipline. Facing the team that had almost assuredly marched toward the title was not easy, but the boys played fantastically.

This was our fourth consecutive win, and it put us in 2nd place, eight points behind the league leader, with four games remaining. Clean sheets were continuing, marking our fourth in five games and third consecutive match without conceding.

Round 23: Arsenal 0–1 Manchester City
Goalscorer: R. Calafiori

Another victory and clean sheet, making us feel unbeatable at this point. Five wins in a row and four consecutive clean sheets—this team was in fantastic form.

Even though Bournemouth had a big 6–0 win in their match, the dream of a Champions League finish was very much alive, with a four-point lead over 5th place and only three matches remaining.

Two red cards against us in this game complicated things, but the team adapted well. Rotations due to suspensions were necessary, yet the momentum and confidence remained high.

Round 24: Manchester City 1–4 Burnley
Goalscorer: Kudus

What happened here is difficult to explain. We came into this match in fantastic form, believing the “home curse” was gone. Suddenly, out of nowhere, this poor performance and result occurred.

Perhaps we had become overconfident, assuming things would go smoothly in this league. If so, this result was a wake-up call. The next match was another home game, so it was essential to regain focus after this shocking display.

Round 25: Manchester City 2–0 Sunderland
Goalscorers: Christensen, Sessegnon

The season was shaping into something remarkable, and our form had reached a high point—excluding the previous shock defeat. We were never threatened in this match and looked very solid.

This was six wins in seven games and six clean sheets in the last eight matches, a clear sign of fantastic form. The “home curse” was gone, and securing a Champions League spot was now a certainty, regardless of the final match outcome.

Round 26: Queens Park Rangers 0–1 Manchester City
Goalscorer: Kudus

What a way to finish the season! We scored early and controlled the rest of the match to secure the victory. Seven wins in the last eight attempts and seven clean sheets in the last nine games—an extremely strong finish and a Premier League season we can be truly proud of.

Looking back at the full campaign, despite some incredible highs and shocking lows, including weak home performances, finishing 2nd in the league after victories against teams like QPR, Crystal Palace, Norwich, Bournemouth, and Liverpool was fantastic.

This was a memorable and eventful league season, setting the stage for Champions League football next season.

Europa League – Manchester City

This tournament clearly stood out as the most important competition for us before the season started. There was no doubt: it was the league and this tournament that would get main priority.

A victory here would not only bring attention and happy fans but also provide crucial European experience. To develop this team into a top-tier side, it is essential to gain experience in European competition. This includes not only playing matches but also managing different pressures and demands that arise from continental football, which are not present if a club only focuses on domestic league games.

For us, the Europa League was a vital measuring stick: would it end in a title, or not? The club has now reached a position where we are judged by titles, and this tournament gave us a chance to prove it.

Group Game 1: Manchester City 0–2 Tottenham Hotspur

A nightmare start in the tournament with a home defeat. Of course, Spurs are an extremely strong opponent, and there would be new opportunities to earn points. However, starting a tournament with a loss is never optimal.

We struggled to create chances against Spurs and were outplayed tactically. Usually, such a game is something to forget, but we could also view it as motivation for revenge in future matches, either in the league or in this tournament.

Group Game 2: Freiburg 2–4 Manchester City

Goalscorers: Bischof, Kalajdzic, Bellerin, Marsh

A fantastic away game in the Europa League. We were the better team from start to finish. We led 2–0, only to see Freiburg score two quick goals in the 53rd and 63rd minutes.

The boys responded superbly, ensuring we won comfortably after scoring two more goals. After the initial defeat to Spurs, this was exactly the reaction we needed.

Group Game 3: Manchester City 3–0 Porto

Goalscorers: Kalajdzic x2, Ebere

Another solid Europa League performance. Executed with professionalism and quality, it was clear from the start that we were the dominant team.

Seven goals in the last two games showed that we had more than enough quality to compete in this tournament.

Group Game 4: Athletic Bilbao 0–1 Manchester City

Goalscorer: Own goal

We had truly responded after the Spurs defeat. Bilbao is a very strong opponent, especially at home, but we delivered a solid and disciplined performance.

Another clean sheet, and although several group games remained, the prospects for advancing from the group looked very promising.

Group Game 5: Manchester City 3–0 Bologna

Goalscorers: Kalajdzic x2, Kudus

Now the team really hit its stride in this tournament. The players seemed to enjoy the competition, playing with confidence and composure.

Kalajdzic had struggled in the league but now found his European rhythm, scoring two of the three goals. After five matches, we were top of the group with 12 points, with several teams already trailing by a significant margin. The results and performances both looked very promising.

Group Game 6: Manchester United 2–0 Manchester City

English opposition seemed difficult for us in this group stage. Another defeat, this time against Manchester United. The team struggled to create enough chances against a very solid United side.

Despite this setback, our position in the group was still promising, but it showed that we needed to stay focused and not take anything for granted in such a competitive tournament.

Group Game 7: Bodo/Glimt 0–1 Manchester City

Goalscorer: Marsh

With a tight schedule, we had to rotate players for this match to avoid fatigue and injuries in the league. Bodo/Glimt was not to be underestimated, and despite some rotation, the team performed with concentration and discipline.

The victory secured progression from the group stage, avoiding the playoff, and we finished top of the table, an important achievement for the club.

Semi-final 1: Manchester United 0–0 Manchester City

We drew the team we had lost to in the group stage, and with Spurs in the other semi-final, this was a chance for revenge against both teams.

The match was a tight affair, with neither team able to break down the other. It was clear that in order to advance, we would need hard work, patience, and calmness, as nothing would come easy. The first leg ended 0–0, leaving everything to be decided in the second leg.

Semi-final 2: Manchester City 1–1 Manchester United

Goalscorer: Kalajdzic

The second leg was even more tense, with United taking the lead in the second half through De Ligt. We faced a critical moment: a team without European experience, one half remaining, and the need to stay composed.

We did not panic. Kalajdzic, who thrives in the Europa League, scored for us, marking his fifth goal in the tournament.

Extra time saw no additional goals, leading to a penalty shootout.

Wheatley (United) missed → 2–1

Hazard (United) missed → 2–1

Bischof scored → 3–1

Verbruggen saved Zakaria’s penalty → Manchester City advanced to the Europa League final!

A major achievement and milestone for the club, capping off a remarkable journey in Europe.

Final: Tottenham Hotspur 0–1 Manchester City

Goalscorer: Owusu

We had defeated Manchester United, but Spurs had hurt us in the group stage, making this final a chance for true revenge.

A final is about much more than tactics—it is about handling pressure and expectations. A loss could have turned us into a team that almost won, instead of a winning team. Spurs, with more European experience, were realistically better equipped to handle this pressure.

However, we entered the match with confidence from a strong season, believing the title was ours to take.

Owusu, the 18-year-old academy graduate, scored five minutes before the end, securing the victory.

This was symbolic and magical: the club has invested heavily in youth, and now it was an academy player deciding a European final.

We won the Europa League, and it could not have happened in a better, more poetic way.