The Club World Cup has been a breeze for Manchester City so far, and Juventus were the latest to be brushed aside — on a particularly enjoyable day for one summer signing.
Man City have played an absolute blinder here. Rayan Ait-Nouri for £31 million is one hell of a bargain — one that should make Wolves supporters sick to their stomach and Manchester United fans wonder why they signed Patrick Dorgu and not this guy.
We were quick to write off Rayan Cherki after one game, and we’re just as ready to declare Ait-Nouri the best left-back in the world after only his second game for the club.
On a comfortable Orlando afternoon (rainstorm aside) for Pep Guardiola’s men, the Algerian left-back was absolutely fantastic. His decisive through ball to assist Jeremy Doku for City’s opener was sublime, leaving Juventus defender Alberto Costa for dead and Pierre Kalulu, for some reason, unaware that the Belgian would cut in onto his right foot.
There was plenty of transfer narrative, with Ait-Nouri and Tijjani Reijnders thriving — and a couple of Premier League targets doing absolutely nothing of note on the other side. Dusan Vlahovic got his goal in the end, and it was very well taken, but didn’t do enough to convince potential suitors he’s their man, while City-linked stars Kenan Yildiz and Andrea Cambiaso both started on the bench.
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It’s City’s new boys who started on Thursday that really stole the show. Reijnders and Ait-Nouri have added youth, energy and a much-needed injection of self-belief to a team that spent most of last season feeling sorry for themselves. Guardiola is treating this tournament as the start of 2025/26 — and who can blame him after the empty-handed mess that was 2024/25?
It’s the right call — and with Ait-Nouri leading the charge, City purred in possession. But for all the early signs of a slick new core forming, there were also some pretty loud reminders that the old core is, well…getting older.
They’re still comfortable trying to break down teams, but transitions look like a weakness. Ederson choosing this moment to gift Juventus an equaliser — right after telling the world he wants to stay at City — was not ideal. That might not be your decision, fella.
Luckily for him, Kalulu had an absolute shocker to outdo it, scoring one of the most avoidable own goals you’ll ever see, handing City the lead back.
It was tight going into the second half, with the first somehow played to a finish despite monsoon conditions. But one simple like-for-like change blew it wide open.
There were acres of space all game between Juventus’ deepest midfielder and their backline, with Omar Marmoush camped on the defender’s shoulder with his back to goal. Bringing on Erling Haaland was the easiest tactical decision Guardiola’s ever made. Igor Tudor had to react, but no adjustment could stop City slicing through with the same defence-splitting passes every five minutes.
Reijnders — who’s already looking like a monstrous signing — was the one to deliver a gorgeous through ball to Matheus Nunes, who, as it turns out, might actually be a bloody decent right-back. Haaland was left completely free to tap in his 300th career goal with one of the scruffiest finishes you’ll ever see.
Juve chucked on some positive subs in desperation, but City were rampant. Soon it was 4-1 — Phil Foden tapping in after Haaland produced a silky first touch and perfectly weighted through ball to set up Savinho. His calm touch around Michele Di Gregorio left Foden with a walk-in.
Then came the pick of the bunch: a thunderous long-range belter from Savinho that left Di Gregorio rooted as embarrassment for the Old Lady turned to outright humiliation.
There was still time for Rayan Cherki to miss an absolute sitter, but overall it was a very productive afternoon in Florida for City. They’re the only team to win all three of their group games at the Club World Cup and should be the clear favourites to lift the trophy.
While this tournament could yet take a toll on their domestic campaign through sheer physical and mental fatigue, winning it might also provide the boost they need. The pre-CWC signings already look like inspired additions, injecting fresh energy and belief into a squad that looked flat and on the way out last season.
Reijnders and Ait-Nouri, in particular, are settling in brilliantly. And it’s a refreshing change of pace for City to have a natural full-back playing in, well, full-back. Ait-Nouri already looks like a serious weapon going forward, and his pace should go some way to easing those nagging concerns in transition. Doku, meanwhile, will only benefit from having someone alongside him who occupies defenders and offers an end product.
We haven’t even mentioned Rodri yet. He’s very much in Like A New Signing territory, starting his first City game since last September in the 5-2 win.
So far, City look like they’re absolutely nailing a crucial transfer window. We still can’t quite believe it. £31 million? FFS.
