Man City impressed in a 3-1 friendly win over Atletico Madrid in Seoul
Man City impressed in a 3-1 friendly win over Atletico Madrid in Seoul as Enzo Maresca’s tactical ideas continued to take shape ahead of the new season.
The victory provided Manchester City with another encouraging performance during their Asian pre-season tour, with the English side showing attacking intent, direct wing play and improved understanding of Maresca’s methods.
Omar Marmoush scored twice in the second half after Antoine Semenyo produced two excellent assists, while Rayan Ait-Nouri added a late third to complete the comeback.
Atletico Madrid had taken the lead through teenage forward Jorge Dominguez, but City responded strongly after the interval to turn the game around.
Manchester City show attacking promise
The result was particularly encouraging for Manchester City because they had to come from behind against a disciplined Atletico Madrid side.
City created several opportunities before the Spanish club opened the scoring, with Tijjani Reijnders, Savinho, Luke Baartman and Josko Gvardiol all involved in promising attacking situations.
The most noticeable feature of the performance was the willingness to get the ball quickly to the wingers.
Savinho and Antoine Semenyo repeatedly attempted to beat their markers, attack open spaces and deliver balls into the penalty area.
That approach provided City with a different attacking dimension and allowed the forwards to operate closer to the Atletico goal.
Maresca has spoken about developing his own tactical identity rather than simply attempting to replicate Pep Guardiola’s system, and the performance in Seoul offered an early glimpse of what that could look like.
Antoine Semenyo shines in Seoul
Antoine Semenyo was arguably one of Manchester City’s most influential players on the night.
The winger’s direct running caused problems for Atletico’s defence throughout the contest, but his biggest contribution came during a remarkable two-goal spell early in the second half.
City were trailing 1-0 when Semenyo produced the first moment of individual brilliance.
The winger appeared to be losing the ball near the touchline, but he slid to keep it in play, quickly recovered his balance and continued his run into the penalty area.
He then delivered an accurate ball into the box, allowing Omar Marmoush to finish from close range.
Just two minutes later, Semenyo was involved again.
This time, he ran onto a pass before entering the attacking area and picking out Marmoush, who once again made no mistake from close range.
The two goals completely changed the momentum of the match and highlighted the importance of Semenyo’s pace and creativity.
Marmoush rewards City’s attacking pressure
Omar Marmoush had endured a frustrating first half despite finding himself in promising positions.
The striker later admitted that he had failed to connect with several opportunities created by Semenyo and Savinho.
However, Marmoush made sure he was in the right position after the interval.
His two finishes were simple but demonstrated the importance of movement inside the penalty area.
For a striker, getting goals during pre-season can provide valuable confidence before competitive fixtures begin.
Marmoush also credited Semenyo for creating both goals, acknowledging that the winger’s work made his finishes possible.
The partnership between the two players could become an important attacking option if Maresca continues to encourage City to use wide players aggressively.
Atletico Madrid take unexpected lead
Despite Manchester City’s dominance for long periods, Atletico Madrid went into the break ahead.
The Spanish side scored in the 43rd minute after a partially cleared corner remained alive around the edge of the penalty area.
Morten Hjulmand helped keep the ball in the danger zone before Jorge Dominguez reacted quickly to poke the ball into the net.
The goal was a significant moment for the 16-year-old Atletico Madrid youngster, who showed composure in a difficult situation.
However, the goal did not accurately reflect the balance of play during the opening period.
City had created several chances and looked dangerous whenever they attacked the Atletico defence with speed.
Tijjani Reijnders was particularly impressive in midfield, combining effectively with Mateo Kovacic and helping City move the ball forward.
Enzo Maresca tactics begin to take shape
The pre-season friendly victory was also significant because it offered another indication of how Enzo Maresca wants Manchester City to play.
Rather than relying entirely on the possession-heavy patterns associated with Guardiola, City looked more willing to create one-on-one situations for their wingers.
Semenyo and Savinho were encouraged to receive the ball in wide areas and attack their opponents directly.
The full-backs also appeared to operate differently, with deeper positioning creating additional space for the wingers to exploit.
Reijnders provided another attacking outlet by making forward runs from midfield, while Kovacic offered stability behind him.
Phil Foden also found pockets of space around the edge of the Atletico penalty area.
These movements gave City several different ways to progress the ball and attack the final third.
Maresca has praised his players for being receptive to his ideas, saying the squad has shown an open-minded attitude since his arrival.
The manager believes the pre-season tour has been important for developing relationships and connections between the players.
Late goal seals pre-season friendly victory
Atletico Madrid made wholesale substitutions during the second half, making nine changes in one period of the match.
The changes altered the rhythm of the contest and gave City greater opportunities to control possession and attack.
Divin Mubama came close to adding another goal when he found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but his attempt was saved.
City continued searching for a third goal and eventually got their reward in added time.
Rayan Ait-Nouri initially missed a one-on-one opportunity, but he quickly made amends.
Mubama supplied the pass for the substitute, who calmly found the bottom corner to make it 3-1.
The goal ensured that Manchester City finished the match strongly and secured another positive result on their Asian tour.
City build momentum before new season
The win over Atletico Madrid follows a draw with Inter Milan and a victory against a K-League All Stars side during City’s tour.
The results have given Maresca valuable opportunities to assess his squad and introduce tactical changes before competitive football begins.
Manchester City will now return to the United Kingdom with their attention turning towards the Community Shield.
The fixture will provide a much stronger test of Maresca’s preparations and give supporters a clearer indication of how the new manager’s ideas translate into competitive football.
YOU MAY LIKE:
What the victory means for City
The 3-1 victory should not be viewed as definitive evidence that Manchester City have already perfected their new system.
Pre-season matches are designed to test combinations, tactics and fitness rather than produce final conclusions.
However, there were several encouraging signs.
The relationship between Semenyo and Marmoush was particularly promising, while Savinho’s direct running provided another attacking threat.
Reijnders also looked comfortable in midfield, and the team’s response after conceding demonstrated resilience.
For Maresca, the most important aspect will be continuing to develop these patterns while integrating players who have yet to join the squad fully.
Manchester City will hope the lessons learned in Seoul can translate into strong performances once the competitive season begins.
For now, the win over Atletico Madrid represents another positive step as Maresca attempts to establish his identity at the club.
References
- Sky Sports – Man City 3-1 Atletico Madrid
Sky Sports reports on Manchester City’s 3-1 comeback win over Atletico Madrid in Seoul, including Antoine Semenyo’s two assists for Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri’s late goal. Sky Sports match report - Sky Sports – Man City vs Atletico Madrid live commentary
Sky Sports’ live coverage provides the match timeline, key moments, goals and substitutions from Manchester City’s pre-season friendly against Atletico Madrid. Sky Sports live match coverage - Sky Sports – Manchester City results and latest news
Sky Sports’ Manchester City page records the 3-1 victory over Atletico Madrid and provides additional coverage of the club’s pre-season preparations under Enzo Maresca. Sky Sports Manchester City coverage
Support Independent Journalism with eKayNews! 📰✨
At eKayNews, we are dedicated to bringing you honest, independent, and reliable news. But we can’t do it alone—independent journalism relies on the strength and generosity of its community.
If you value our work, please consider supporting us today! You can help keep us going by choosing a subscription or simply buying us a one-off virtual coffee:
👉 Support us here: ekaynews.co.za/subscribe-form/
You can also support our mission by visiting our main site at www.ekaynews.co.za and following @eKayNews on all social media platforms.
Thank you so much for your incredible generosity and for being part of our journey! 🙏💙
