Maresca plans rest for busy dad Haaland as Manchester City head to Porto

Enzo Maresca has hinted that Erling Haaland, Manchester City's star striker, will soon get a rest at some point this season. The Italian coach, who is preparing his side for the opening league phase match of the Champions League against Porto, believes fatherhood has transformed the Norwegian, who has already scored three goals in his team's first three Premier League victories.

• Haaland has played every competitive minute since the campaign began, including the Club World Cup with Norway, and Maresca sees it as normal to give him a break.
• The City manager believes the arrival of his son in 2024 changed the striker's priorities and made him a more complete player.
• To replace the Norwegian, Maresca could use Antoine Semenyo as a central striker or field Phil Foden or Rayan Cherki as a false nine.
• Porto arrive with a perfect record in the Primeira Liga and just one defeat in their last fourteen or fifteen European matches.

How fatherhood has changed Erling Haaland's mindset

Maresca has been clear about the impact Haaland's son has had on the player's mentality. According to the boss, the striker's life has changed completely since becoming a dad, and that shift is evident in his approach to football. His son is now the absolute priority, and that has turned him into a different kind of footballer.

He's a man now. He's a dad. When he arrived here he wasn't a dad and now he's a dad and life completely changes because the priority becomes his son. I'm happy for him because he was already top as a player and as a boy but now you can see that he is complete now. He is a family man, he is still scoring goals so I'm very happy for him.

Haaland's scoring record in Manchester backs up that sense of fulfilment. In three of his four previous seasons with the club he has won the Premier League golden boot, and his current start keeps that momentum going with three goals in as many league games.

Why Maresca is planning to rotate his star against Porto

The minutes are starting to add up. Haaland has not missed a single competitive minute for City so far this season, and he also carried the load of the Club World Cup with Norway, who reached the quarter-finals. For Maresca, it is normal for players with such a heavy schedule, between club and international duties, to start feeling the fatigue.

The Italian coach admitted that rest will be needed at some point, whether it means leaving him out of one match or giving him a week away from the pitch. The priority is to keep players fresh and happy, because the risk of injury increases when tiredness kicks in and City need everyone at 100 per cent.

The attacking options if Haaland misses the Dragão clash

If the Norwegian does not start in Porto, Maresca has several cards to play. One direct option is to hand Antoine Semenyo the striker role, while Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki could operate as a false nine. These last two players offer a different kind of control, able to drop deep and manage the rhythm of the game.

The manager particularly values Cherki's ability to receive between the lines and create danger. He used the recent 1-0 win over Coventry as an example, where the playmaker got on the ball in pockets of space several times and created clear chances. Foden, for his part, offers an excellent final pass, giving City a broad range of options to attack without their usual reference point.

Porto, a fired-up rival in Europe and in Portugal

The Portuguese side arrive in outstanding form. Under head coach Francesco Farioli, Porto won their 31st league title and have started the Primeira Liga campaign with fifteen points from a possible fifteen. In Europe, their recent record is equally impressive: only one defeat in their last fourteen or fifteen continental matches.

Maresca is not buying the favourite tag. The Italian coach knows that the Estádio do Dragão is a tough place to visit and that Porto are especially dangerous from set pieces, a facet that has gained weight in modern football. Defending those situations well and making the most of their own will be key to getting a positive result.

Team news from the Manchester City camp

Ahead of the Champions League fixture, Maresca expects Nico O'Reilly to be available after the midfielder was ruled out of the Coventry match at the last minute due to a fitness issue. Jérémy Doku's case is less clear, with the winger still doubtful because of an injury and no certainty over his recovery in time for the game in Portugal.