Manchester City came from behind to beat Atlético Madrid 3-1 in Seoul, wrapping up their Asian tour with a win, with Croatian internationals Joško Gvardiol and Mateo Kovačić playing key roles ahead of the start of a new era under Enzo Maresca.
Manchester City defeated Atlético Madrid 3-1 in a preseason friendly in Seoul, concluding their Asian tour and completing their final dress rehearsal before the official season opener. Croatian internationals Joško Gvardiol and Mateo Kovačić started the match, confirming their importance in the plans of new manager Enzo Maresca, who succeeded Pep Guardiola after the club finished last season without a trophy.
Atlético Madrid took the lead in the 43rd minute through 16-year-old Jorge Dominguez, but a complete turnaround followed in the second half. Omar Marmoush scored twice within two minutes (57' and 59'), with Antoine Semenyo providing the assist on both occasions. Rayan Ait-Nouri sealed the 3-1 win in the 90th minute.
Gvardiol played the entire match at left-back, while Kovačić operated as the deepest midfielder until the 61st minute. Both are set to begin their fourth season at the Etihad, and based on what was seen in South Korea, Maresca is counting on them for the starting lineup in Sunday's Community Shield against Arsenal at Wembley.
The new season brings numerous uncertainties for Manchester City, particularly in midfield. Erling Haaland, Marc Guéhi, Jérémy Doku, Rayan Cherki, and Rodri are only now rejoining the squad after the World Cup, with the latter also having undergone a minor back procedure. Additionally, it's an open secret that Rodri is being courted by Barcelona and Real Madrid, while potential departures of Tijjani Reijnders or Nico González have also been mentioned.
Further pressure comes from the fact that a whopping €135 million was invested in Elliot Anderson, who will join the squad without any time to adapt. According to British media reports, City are closely monitoring 18-year-old Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who impressed at the World Cup for Morocco. Another option in the middle of the park is the versatile Nico O'Reilly, who played in multiple positions under Pep Guardiola.
Maresca, who prefers a 4-2-3-1 formation, is looking to "reawaken" Phil Foden, who scored 27 goals and provided 12 assists in the 2023/24 season. Rayan Cherki is also competing for the "number 10" role, returning after a modest World Cup campaign where he played just 149 minutes without a goal or assist.
Against Atlético, Gvardiol played on the left side of defense, having featured in the center of the backline in the first two friendlies. The Croatian defender thus finds himself torn between two positions again, with competition in the heart of defense including Rúben Dias, Guéhi, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Vitor Reis, while O'Reilly and Ait-Nouri occupy the left side.
While Gvardiol and Kovačić prepare for the new season in England, Croatian vice-captain Ivan Perišić registered an assist for PSV in their 2-2 draw against Fortuna Sittard on the opening day of the Eredivisie season. Another Vatreni thus confirmed his good form ahead of the season's continuation.
