Phil Foden lit up the Etihad once more, producing a masterclass of creativity and precision as Manchester City cruised to a 4–1 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. The England star opened the scoring with a delightful finish before Erling Haaland continued his incredible European run, netting yet again against his former club.
After the interval, Foden struck a stunning second goal to give City complete control, though a lapse in concentration saw Dortmund grab one back through Waldemar Anton. For a moment, memories of last season’s late collapse against Feyenoord resurfaced — but Rayan Cherki’s composed finish in added time sealed the result and kept City’s group stage dominance intact.
GOAL rates every City player from an entertaining night in Manchester 👇
Goalkeeper & Defence
Gianluigi Donnarumma – 6/10
A night of highs and lows for the Italian stopper. He produced a few solid interventions but looked nervy at times — spilling a simple punch and misjudging a cross. Recovered his confidence with a crucial sliding challenge to stop Chukwuemeka late on.
Matheus Nunes – 6/10
Found himself under pressure as Dortmund targeted his flank in the second half. Showed good intent going forward but lacked composure in key defensive moments.
John Stones – 7/10
Classy as ever in possession and fearless when needed. His last-ditch block on Adeyemi’s shot summed up his defensive awareness and leadership at the back.
Josko Gvardiol – 6/10
Looked composed early on but lost his rhythm as the game wore on. A risky pass across goal nearly caused chaos — fortunate it didn’t cost City.
Nico O’Reilly – 7/10
Full of energy, pushing up like an extra midfielder. Powerful in duels and confident on the ball, though his wayward shot from distance left Guardiola shaking his head.
Midfield
Tijjani Reijnders – 6/10
Marked improvement from his recent outings. His pinpoint through ball to Foden opened the scoring, but he switched off later, allowing Anton to capitalise for Dortmund’s goal.
Nico Gonzalez – 7/10
Anchored the midfield efficiently, dictating play with calmness and precision. Tried to push the tempo but briefly lost focus in the second half — enough for a Guardiola lecture from the touchline.
Phil Foden – 8/10
Pure brilliance. Two goals, both crafted with his signature half-turn and pinpoint finishing. The Englishman has now surpassed Ronaldinho’s Champions League tally — and he’s only getting started. A sparkling performance that reminded everyone why he’s City’s creative heartbeat.
Attack
Savinho – 7/10
A constant menace down the right with blistering pace and sharp footwork. Created chaos in Dortmund’s back line but wasted a few good chances with poor final balls.
Erling Haaland – 7/10
Scored his fifth goal in four Champions League games with typical power and precision. Could have added more but was guilty of chasing personal glory instead of picking the right pass. Still, another solid outing from City’s goal machine.
Jeremy Doku – 7/10
Less explosive than Savinho but more purposeful. His clever movement unlocked Dortmund’s defence for Haaland’s goal. However, a lapse allowed Ryerson space to set up Anton — a reminder that defensive discipline matters even for wingers.
Substitutes & Manager
Rayan Cherki – 7/10
Instant impact. Fluffed one chance to assist but made up for it with a composed strike for City’s fourth. Having such quality on the bench is a luxury Guardiola will cherish.
Bernardo Silva – 6/10
Brought control and composure when Dortmund threatened to rally. Did exactly what was needed to steady the ship.
Ruben Dias – 6/10
Helped restore order to a defence that looked shaky after Dortmund’s goal. A calming presence in closing stages.
Omar Marmoush – N/A
Replaced Haaland late on with little time to influence proceedings.
Rayan Aït-Nouri – N/A
A brief cameo in the final minutes to shore up the left flank.
Pep Guardiola – 7/10
Will be thrilled with City’s first-half dominance and attacking fluency. Less impressed with the mid-game dip in focus, but ultimately his side delivered a confident response after Anton’s goal. Lessons learned — and another statement win in Europe.