Man City 5-1 AEK Athens
Phil Foden delivered a sensational hat-trick as Manchester City returned to winning ways in the UEFA Champions League with a commanding 5-1 victory over AEK Athens at the Etihad Stadium.
Elliot Anderson opened the scoring before Foden struck three times, while Rayan Cherki added a stunning goal of his own. Stavros Pilios scored AEK’s consolation as City produced an emphatic response to their previous 4-2 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain.
The victory was City’s second in three Champions League matches, moving Enzo Maresca’s team onto six points in the league-phase standings.
Elliot Anderson Gives Manchester City an Early Lead
Maresca made eight changes to his starting lineup, resting several important players ahead of City’s upcoming domestic fixtures.
Erling Haaland was named among the substitutes but did not feature, while 17-year-old academy forward Floyd Samba was trusted to lead the attack. Enzo Fernández, Anderson, Rico Lewis, Cherki and Foden provided experience around the youngster.
City needed only 12 minutes to break the deadlock. Fernández’s free-kick struck the crossbar, but Anderson reacted quickest inside the penalty area and fired the rebound into an empty net.
It was Anderson’s first goal for Manchester City and gave the home side complete control of the match.
Phil Foden Begins His Hat-Trick
AEK attempted to remain compact, but City’s patient passing and intelligent movement repeatedly opened gaps in the visitors’ defence.
The second goal arrived in the 34th minute. Lewis advanced down the right and combined effectively with Foden, who finished confidently to double City’s advantage.
The strike continued Foden’s return to goalscoring form after he ended a lengthy drought against Ipswich Town. Playing from the right before moving into a false-nine role, the England international constantly found space between AEK’s midfield and defence.
City carried a comfortable 2-0 lead into half-time, with AEK struggling to produce a consistent attacking threat.
AEK Athens Briefly Threaten a Comeback
AEK gave their travelling supporters something to celebrate in the 52nd minute when Stavros Pilios produced a powerful finish to reduce the deficit.
The goal offered the Greek side a brief opportunity to make the contest uncomfortable for City, but the hosts responded almost immediately.
Five minutes later, Cherki collected the ball inside the penalty area, shifted it away from his marker with a clever touch and guided a precise effort into the corner. The Frenchman’s composed finish restored City’s two-goal advantage and ended AEK’s hopes of completing an unlikely comeback.
Foden Completes Brilliant Champions League Treble
Foden scored the best goal of the evening in the 65th minute.
Cherki’s long pass found Lewis, whose controlled lay-off reached the England midfielder near the edge of the penalty area. Foden met the ball first time and sent an outstanding finish into the top corner.
It was a goal filled with technique, confidence and perfect timing.
The 26-year-old completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute. Academy substitute Ryan McAidoo delivered an inviting cross, allowing Foden to attack the ball and finish like an experienced centre-forward.
Foden’s goals in the 34th, 65th and 76th minutes secured his first Champions League hat-trick and completed City’s five-star performance.
Foden Shows City Can Win Without Haaland
With Haaland watching from the bench, Foden accepted responsibility for leading Manchester City’s attack.
He operated effectively in multiple positions, initially creating danger from the right before moving centrally. His movement caused constant problems for AEK, while his clinical finishing demonstrated that City have other reliable goalscoring options.
Foden also contributed to Cherki’s goal, completing a performance that highlighted his creativity as well as his finishing ability.
After the match, Foden said he enjoyed playing in the false-nine position but acknowledged that he still has work to do to return to his very best. Maresca described him as one of England’s leading players and backed him to become an important figure for City this season.
Manchester City’s Squad Depth Impresses
The comfortable victory also underlined the strength of City’s squad.
Maresca was able to rest Haaland and several other established stars without sacrificing attacking quality. Samba gained valuable Champions League experience, while McAidoo made an immediate impact from the bench by assisting Foden’s third goal.
Anderson recorded his first City goal, Lewis contributed creatively from full-back and Cherki produced another reminder of his individual quality.
Maresca will be particularly pleased with how his rotated team reacted after AEK scored. City remained calm, restored their two-goal advantage within five minutes and then turned a comfortable victory into a rout.
Empty Seats on a Memorable Night for Foden
The official attendance was 40,042, leaving noticeable empty sections inside the 61,000-capacity Etihad Stadium. Despite the subdued atmosphere, City remained focused and delivered a professional performance.
AEK’s travelling fans provided plenty of noise, but their team could not match City’s technical quality or attacking depth.
For Manchester City, the performance provided the perfect reaction to the PSG defeat. For Foden, it may represent the beginning of a major personal revival.
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Manchester City are back on track, but the evening belonged to Phil Foden—a homegrown star who reminded Europe exactly what he can do.
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