Jeremy Doku causes ‘damage’ as Pep Guardiola verdict dropped – Spanish media react to Man City win vs Real Madrid
Manchester City have been praised by the Spanish media after their 2-1 win away at Real Madrid on Wednesday.
The Premier League outfit came from behind the notch a crucial victory in the Champions League, as goals from Nico O’Reilly and Erling Haaland overcame Rodrygo’s first-half opener for the hosts.
Nico Gonzalez was excellent for Manchester City throughout the 90 minutes, in what was an impressive performance from several players across the squad.
Pep Guardiola’s men are now in a strong position to qualify for the next phase of the Champions League, as they sit fourth in the table with just two league phase games remaining.
Spanish media hail Jeremy Doku and Erling Haaland
Manchester City fans were fuming with Bernardo Silva’s performance at the Bernabeu, but Spanish media have been far more accepting of some of the displays from his teammates.
Haaland’s goalscoring exploits have made him a constant topic of discussion across the footballing world, and that has been the case again in the aftermath of the game.
The Norwegian won and then scored the penalty on the stroke of half-time, and that has seen him receive plenty of praise in Spain.
Sport branded him as an “insatiable goalscorer,” and added that he deserves to share the line that used to be associated with Argentine great Mario Kempes: “Don’t say Kempes, say goal.”
There was also glowing praise for Jeremy Doku, with Marca suggesting in their player ratings that he made Federico Valverde “suffer a lot” in the second half, while his speed was causing “a lot of damage.”
Diario Sur turned their attention towards the game plan that was instilled by Guardiola, as they noted that City “took control of the game” once they got in front and “managed the nerves” of the hosts, who have encountered issues under Xabi Alonso of late.
Matheus Nunes the unsung hero of Man City’s victory
Manchester City fans have criticised Matheus Nunes for his performances of late, but he was a key part of their triumph in the Spanish capital in midweek.
The Portuguese won three tackles during the 90 minutes, a tally which wasn’t bettered by anyone else on the pitch.
| Stats | Nunes Total | Game Rank |
| Touches | 99 | 1st |
| Tackles Won | 3 | =1st |
| Clearances | 6 | 1st |
| Recoveries | 8 | =1st |
| Accurate Forward Zone Passes | 31 | 2nd |
| Duels Won | 9 | =2nd |
Those interventions formed part of an impressive 12 defensive contributions, which is undoubtedly a strong effort for a player who has had his defensive instincts questioned at times.
However, that didn’t prevent the former Wolves star from influencing his team in an attacking sense, as Nunes was able to get forward from right-back and get involved in attacks, recording a game-high 99 touches during the encounter.
The likes of O’Reilly, Haaland and Gianluigi Donnarumma have rightly received plenty of praise, but Nunes is perhaps deserving of a little more recognition than he has gained so far.