Manchester City punched their ticket directly to the Champions League knockout stages on Wednesday night with a professional 2-0 win over Galatasaray.
In a high-stakes final league-phase fixture at the Etihad, Pep Guardiola’s men secured the eighth-place finish they needed to bypass the play-off round, edging out giants like Real Madrid and Inter Milan by a solitary point.
The narrative of the night centered on Erling Haaland, who silenced talk of a scoring slump by finding the net early. Rayan Cherki doubled the advantage before the half-hour mark, capitalising on a vintage Jeremy Doku display.
Despite the vibrant, pyrotechnic-fueled support from the traveling Turkish fans, City’s control rarely wavered as they navigated a physical encounter to secure their European future.
Man City Player Ratings
Gianluigi Donnarumma (7)
The Italian keeper was essential in preserving the clean sheet. He was called into action three times to deny Victor Osimhen, notably stopping a sharp near-post drive and a powerful first-time strike late in the game. His concentration remained high despite long periods of inactivity.
Matheus Nunes (6.5)
Continuing his upward trajectory, Nunes looked comfortable on the right flank. He was diligent in his defensive duties, clearing a dangerous early free-kick, and provided a reliable outlet in transition. It was a positive return to European action after missing recent disappointing results.
Abdoukodir Khusanov (6.5)
The young defender is clearly growing in stature. He displayed impressive vision against Galatasaray, spraying long-range passes across the pitch with a confidence that was absent in his earlier appearances. His ball progression is becoming a real asset for Guardiola.
Nathan Ake (5.5)
It was a mixed bag for the Dutchman. While he was vital in maintaining City’s high defensive line and made several key interceptions, he was occasionally sloppy in possession, losing the ball in dangerous areas that invited unnecessary pressure.
Rayan Ait-Nouri (6.5)
A constant threat from the left, Ait-Nouri almost registered an assist in the opening minutes with a perfect cross for Haaland. He remained heavily involved throughout the night, nearly scoring himself in the 66th minute after a clever exchange with Foden.
Bernardo Silva (5)
By his own lofty standards, this was a frustrating night for the Portuguese midfielder. Although his work rate was typically tireless as he covered every blade of grass, several uncharacteristic misplaced passes in the center of the pitch gifted possession back to the visitors.
Nico O’Reilly (6)
The academy graduate was asked to fill a midfield role despite many feeling his future lies at left-back. He handled the responsibility well, keeping the ball moving efficiently and showing great composure for a player of his experience level in a major European clash.
Rayan Cherki (7)
The £34 million summer signing continues to look like one of the deals of the decade. He was clinical when the chance arrived, finding the bottom corner from 12 yards to double City’s lead. His influence on the team’s attacking patterns is growing with every game.
Omar Marmoush (5.5)
Fresh off a goal in the Premier League, Marmoush struggled to find the same spark here. He was the least effective member of the frontline and missed a golden opportunity to make it 3-0 around the hour mark when sent through by Haaland.
Jeremy Doku (8)
The Belgian was the game’s primary match-winner before being forced off with an injury. He was simply unplayable in the first half, providing a world-class through ball for Haaland’s opener and weaving past Davinson Sanchez to set up Cherki for the second.
Erling Haaland (7)
The drought is officially over. Haaland looked revitalised, ending his five-game scoreless run with a sophisticated lifted finish over the keeper. Beyond the goal, his link-up play was much improved, dropping deep to facilitate attacks and creating a major chance for Marmoush.
Substitutes
Phil Foden (6): Brought immediate energy to the final third and was unlucky not to score shortly after his introduction.
Tijani Reijnders (6): Showed immense bravery to continue after a sickening head collision with Sanchez. He provided the necessary stability for the final 20 minutes.
Nico Gonzalez (5): A late cameo that allowed him to get some rhythm back following recent fitness setbacks; he kept the midfield compact.