Ayoub Bouaddi will make his first competitive start for Manchester City when the Premier League champions travel to Porto in Tuesday's UEFA Champions League league phase opener. Manager Enzo Maresca has shuffled his lineup following Saturday's win over Coventry, handing the Moroccan midfielder a maiden appearance in the starting XI at the Estádio do Dragão.
The 21-year-old Bouaddi replaces Elliot Anderson in midfield, marking a significant moment in his City career after joining from North Africa. This tactical shift reflects Maresca's confidence in the prospect, who will operate alongside Enzo Fernández in the middle of the park. The £125 million Spanish midfielder continues his run in consecutive Champions League starts following his record transfer from Chelsea, adding experience to City's engine room.
City's Attacking Adjustments
Maresca has also opted for Phil Foden over Iliman Ndiaye on the wing, maintaining the attacking potency that dismantled Coventry. Erling Haaland leads the line with Bukayo Semenyo providing support, creating a formidable forward partnership. At right-back, Matheus Nunes returns to the starting eleven in place of Abdukodir Khusanov, bolstering City's defensive structure for the Portuguese challenge.
The full Manchester City starting XI reads: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, Bouaddi, Enzo, Cherki, Foden, Haaland, Semenyo. City's Champions League campaign begins as title contenders, having won the domestic treble in recent seasons and remaining unbeaten domestically this campaign. Bouaddi's debut signals Maresca's willingness to rotate his squad while maintaining competitive standards in Europe's elite competition.
