Manchester City trailed PSG 3-0 at half-time on Wednesday night, and the home fans greeted the break with stunned silence rather than boos. City lost the match, but the first half was a clinic from the visitors.
City were not at their best, but PSG were ruthless. Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha carved through the home side with their goals, and the battle was being lost in midfield. At just 20, Warren Zaire-Emery was a pitbull in the middle of the park.
Each time PSG pushed forward in numbers, Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernandez were left behind. Both had been excellent at Liverpool, but they were overrun by PSG’s midfield three, and that created serious problems for City in defense. The back four looked lost and were repeatedly exposed to the strength of PSG’s attack.
According to FotMob, PSG took 10 shots (seven on target) in the first half, while City managed six (one on target). After Vitinha scored PSG’s third, the City players gathered in the middle of the pitch to discuss what had gone wrong.
A Change at the Break Sparked a Comeback
The response came from Enzo Maresca at half-time. He turned to his bench and brought on Matheus Nunes, Iliman Ndiaye and, most importantly, Ayyoub Bouaddi. Considering the hype surrounding Bouaddi, Maresca has used him sparingly, so the decision says as much about the depth of City’s squad as it does about how the teenager has settled in England.
Bouaddi replaced Rayan Cherki, and City immediately became more compact. PSG had no answer. Despite playing just 45 minutes, Bouaddi produced 10 line-breaking passes, with only Marc Guehi and Anderson making more, according to FotMob.
The numbers tell the story of the second half. PSG dominated almost every key statistic in the first half, including expected goals, total shots, shots on target and accurate passes. After the break, City took control of those same measures. Most striking was the passing count: City improved by 43 accurate passes in the second half, while PSG’s total dropped from 241 to just 134.
Bouaddi’s influence was a major factor. His heatmap shows how much ground he covered, particularly in the attacking midfield areas. He completed 37 of his 40 passes and finished with an assist, setting up Erling Haaland for his second goal of the match. At 19, he produced a performance of the highest quality, and that is what excites City supporters most. He could be even better in a couple of years.
A Solution to a Major Problem
Maresca will not have been celebrating when he reviewed the game on Thursday. City still lost, and the first half did not support his view that the team is close to PSG’s level.
Still, City may have found a solution to a significant problem. On Sunday against Liverpool, Cherki showed how good he can be when given space to operate. He dictated attacks and had the freedom to roam into any position he chose. Against a side like PSG, which floods the center of the pitch, he is less effective.
Bouaddi, Anderson and Fernandez as the three central midfielders counters that approach. Together they provided better balance and filled the gaps that PSG exploited in the first half. In big games where City cannot expect to dominate, starting Bouaddi to add protection in midfield could be the way forward. If City can produce more performances like that second half, they will be well placed to chase silverware this season.