Enzo Maresma celebrated his inaugural victory as Manchester City manager with a convincing 3-1 triumph over the K-League All Stars on the streets of Seoul. The match unfolded at a frenetic pace, with all four goals materialising within the first 23 minutes, a stark contrast to City’s recent penalty‑shootout disappointment against Inter Milan.
The scoring sheet featured Rayan Ait‑Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and Divin Mubama, each finding the net as the English side rotated a total of 22 players throughout the encounter. Sky Sports took a deep dive into Maresma’s debut, noting that the coach has publicly rejected the notion of being a mere "copy‑and‑paste" successor to Pep Guardiola.
The tactical experiment in South Korea bore little resemblance to the familiar Guardiola blueprint, showcasing a flexible, fluid system that emphasized positional interchange and aggressive pressing. One of the most striking adjustments was the deployment of Rico Lewis at right‑back.
Rather than remaining a traditional defender, Lewis frequently slipped into midfield when City held possession, bolstering the central partnership of Mateo Kovacic and Reijnders. This movement effectively transformed the back line into a three‑man defensive block—Josko Gvardiol, Abdukodir Khusanov and veteran Ruben Dias—while the full‑backs pushed higher up the pitch to overload the midfield and create numerical superiority. On the flanks, Ait‑Nouri and Antoine Semenyo were instructed to operate extremely wide and high up the field.
Their positioning paid immediate dividends; Ait‑Nouri opened the scoring in the ninth minute from a left‑wing angle, capitalising on a swift passing sequence that caught the opposition off‑guard. Semenyo, although not getting on the scoresheet, delivered an inventive back‑heel assist that set up Reijnders for his own goal, and later contributed a crucial pass that led to Muamba’s rebound finish after his shot was parried. Phil Foden enjoyed a free‑roaming role in the No 10 position, sitting just behind striker Christopher Muamba, who had already found the net in consecutive pre‑season fixtures. Foden’s liberty allowed him to drift between the lines, link play and create space for the attacking midfielders, further underlining Maresma’s intent to give players creative freedom.
The Dutch midfielder Reijnders impressed with his deep‑running drives and technical proficiency. His ability to surge forward from a deep‑lying position generated several scoring opportunities and helped City dominate possession. After the match, rumors surfaced linking Nottingham Forest with a £55 million bid for the 28‑year‑old, but the quality of his performance in Seoul will likely make City reluctant to part with him, especially given the competition in midfield after the £116 million acquisition of Elliot Anderson, who missed the Asian tour due to his World Cup commitments with England.
Semenyo’s contribution, while lacking a goal, was arguably the most impactful of the evening. The Ghanaian international terrorised the K‑League defense with his dribbling, speed and vision.
He supplied the assist for Reijnders’ goal and later set up Muamba’s second strike, showcasing a blend of creativity and work rate that earned him the accolade of City’s best player on the night. He was substituted at halftime for Savinho, a change that did not replicate Semenyo’s influence; the Tottenham target struggled to match his predecessor’s intensity.
The match also featured a quick response from the K‑League All Stars, who equalised just three minutes after Ait‑Nouri’s opener—a faster reaction than Inter Milan’s equaliser after Muamba’s goal in the previous weekend’s shootout. The goal came from Dae‑Won Kim, who cut in from the left and finished at the near post, exposing a momentary lapse in City’s defensive shape on the right flank. This mirrored a similar scenario against Inter, where Benjamin Pavard scored after Federico Dimarco created space on the right side.
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma had limited involvement, making only one notable save—picking the ball out of the net after Kim’s equaliser. He will have another test this Sunday at the same venue when City face Atletico Madrid in the next pre‑season fixture, a match that promises to be a sterner examination of his reflexes and command of the area. Overall, Maresma’s first outing demonstrated a willingness to experiment with formations, player roles and pressing triggers.
The rapid succession of goals, the fluid movement of full‑backs into midfield, and the high‑pressing approach suggest a philosophy that values adaptability over rigid replication of past systems. While there were defensive hiccups, the attacking output and the individual brilliance of players like Reijnders, Semenyo and Ait‑Nouri provide a promising foundation for the upcoming season. The coaching staff will likely analyse the defensive transitions that led to the quick concession and fine‑tune the balance between attacking exuberance and defensive solidity as they continue their Asian tour.