Man City Academy graduates took centre stage in the 5-1 Champions League win over AEK Athens at the Etihad. Phil Foden’s hat-trick grabbed the headlines, but Enzo
Mares-ca also gave minutes to three young players. According to BBC Sport, it was City’s youngest ever line-up for a Champions League game, at 24 years and 63 days.
Man City Academy graduates in the AEK win
Mares-ca made eight changes from the win over Ipswich, City’s official match report says. Teenage striker Floyd Samba, 17, started up front. His drive helped create City’s opener, because he was fouled on the edge of the AEK box. Enzo Fernandez then hit a free kick against the underside of the bar. Elliot Anderson followed up to score his first goal for the club on 12 minutes.
Rico Lewis, himself an Academy product, set up Foden’s first two goals. After that, Ryan McAidoo came off the bench and delivered an assist of his own with a cross for Foden’s third. Kaden Braithwaite also came on in the second half, according to City’s website.
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Highlights of City’s 5-1 win over AEK Athens. Video: Manchester City on YouTube.
What
Mares-ca
said about the Man City Academy graduates
Asked about the younger players,
Mares-ca told the press conference: “The three players for the Academy were good, especially Floyd. Overall he had a good game.”
He added: “McAidoo had an immediate impact. And Kaden also. For me it’s always a pleasure [to give minutes to Academy players].”
He also noted that Foden, another Academy product, scored a hat-trick, and that City were able to rest players who had played from the start of the season. Speaking to TNT Sports, as reported by the BBC,
Mares-ca added: “To be honest, it is the best feeling for any manager when you make many changes, but at the end the performance is good, so happy for especially them.”
Foden on helping the Man City Academy graduates
Foden said he tries to help the younger players alongside the captains. “It shows the trust the manager has. We have a lot of injuries and he is not afraid to use the young lads,” he told TNT Sports, per the BBC.
The win was City’s tenth in 12 matches in all competitions this season, the BBC notes. Only Barcelona, with 11, have won more among Europe’s big-five league sides. For more, see our full match report, the update on Antoine Semenyo’s injury and our December fixtures guide.
Sources: Manchester City, City match report, BBC Sport.
