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Enzo Maresca has come out in support of Gianluigi Donnarumma after the Italy goalkeeper went through a testing evening in Manchester City's Champions League win over Porto. Even though the Premier League champions came away with a 2-0 victory, the former PSG keeper appeared uneasy in possession for much of the match at the Estadio do Dragao.

Maresca backs Donnarumma after Porto scares

The Premier League side took all three points at the Estadio do Dragao courtesy of a second-half brace from Erling Haaland, but much of the attention also fell on City's defence, where the former AC Milan and PSG goalkeeper never looked fully comfortable. He nearly handed Porto a goal when one of his clearances hit William Gomes and rolled just wide. That came after another nervous moment in a recent Premier League match against Coventry City, when the ball almost slipped under his feet.

Even so, Maresca was quick to shift the focus away from his goalkeeper and towards the outfield players because of their choices on the ball. "I think a few times tonight it's not a Gigio [Donnarumma] mistake, it's more for me the wrong decision to go back to Gigio," the City manager said. "Sometimes we go back more than we need. We can go back to the keeper when we don't have another option, but the players need to find the other option."

Man City come through difficult opener

Although City's buildup from the back caused a few anxious moments, they were ruthless at the other end. The win gives the Cityzens an ideal base as they get ready for a major clash against reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain on matchday two next month.

"It was the complete performance on the ball and off the ball for 95 minutes," Maresca said. "We created enough chances to win the game in the first half and their goalkeeper was very good. We tried to continue in the second half in the same way. It’s game by game. It’s a different competition, different stadium but the most important thing is we show who we are."

Midfield prodigy Bouaddi impresses on debut

Away from the tension around the goalkeeper, the match also featured a standout display from 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. The Morocco international, who arrived in the summer from Lille for £85 million, was given his first start for the club alongside £125 million signing Enzo Fernandez. Bouaddi's calmness in a difficult atmosphere earned strong praise from Maresca, who pointed to the teenager's maturity and technical assurance. Despite making a few mistakes early on, Bouaddi stayed composed, showing the mental strength that persuaded City to invest heavily in him during the latest transfer window.

"He [Bouaddi] is different in terms of empathy, in terms of how mature he is and this is why the club has made the effort to bring him here with us," Maresca said. "He's very good, first of all. Against Coventry, he lost two balls and after he lost two balls he was inside our box with calm. This shows how good he is because any players after two passes you panic but he is just 18 and is a fantastic player. Tonight he was very good."

Building towards a high-pressure European future

Bringing new players into the side remains one of Maresca's main priorities as he manages a squad filled with expensive arrivals. Alongside Bouaddi and Fernandez, Elliot Anderson is part of a new-look City midfield, and the manager is fully aware of the role he has in helping those players develop.

"The club has made a fantastic effort to bring these three players [Enzo, Bouaddi, Elliot Anderson]," Maresca concluded. "Now it's on me to allow them to work in the right way and use them."