Enzo Maresca says Manchester City need to reduce the number of passes played to goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma after the Italian nearly gifted Porto a chance in their Champions League match.
Donnarumma made an unsuccessful pass during the second half at the Etihad Stadium, but Porto were unable to take advantage of the mistake.
Manchester City ultimately secured a 2-0 victory, with both goals scored by Erling Haaland. The result was decided by Haaland’s double, while Donnarumma’s error did not lead to a goal for the visitors.
Speaking after the match, Manchester City manager Maresca identified the incident as an area in which his side must improve.
“‘We need to pass to Donnarumma less often’,” said Maresca.
The comment focused on the risk created when Manchester City involve their goalkeeper too frequently in possession, particularly when a misplaced pass can give the opposition an immediate opportunity. Donnarumma’s second-half mistake did not alter the outcome against Porto, but it highlighted one of the problems Maresca believes the team must address.
Manchester City maintained their advantage despite the error and finished the match with a two-goal margin. Haaland provided the decisive contribution, scoring twice to complete the victory over Porto.
The Champions League match therefore ended with Manchester City taking the result they wanted, even though Donnarumma’s misplaced pass briefly offered Porto the possibility of responding. The opposition could not make use of the opportunity, and Maresca instead used the moment to point to a tactical issue involving the team’s passing choices.
His assessment came after a game in which the goalkeeper’s involvement became notable because of the unsuccessful delivery in the second half. While the mistake had no effect on the final score, it was enough for Maresca to single out the frequency with which Manchester City pass the ball to Donnarumma.
The Italian goalkeeper’s error was ultimately overshadowed by Haaland’s two goals. Manchester City completed a 2-0 win, and Porto left unable to punish the failed pass that had given them a chance during the match.
Maresca’s message was clear: Manchester City must be more selective when directing possession towards Donnarumma. Although Porto did not convert the opportunity created by his mistake, the manager regarded the incident as evidence of one of the team’s weaknesses.