Phil Foden scored his first Champions League hat-trick as Man City swept aside AEK Athens 5-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
Enzo Maresca made eight changes following Saturday’s win over Ipswich, with Erling Haaland remaining on the bench after his recent fitness concern and 17-year-old Floyd Samba handed a start. City went ahead after 12 minutes. Enzo Fernandez’s free-kick struck the crossbar and Elliot Anderson reacted quickest to drill in the rebound for his first goal for the club.
Foden doubled the lead in the 34th minute, combining with Rico Lewis before finishing from close range to score for the second successive game. AEK briefly threatened a comeback seven minutes after half-time when Stavros Pilios finished a counter-attack with a low shot beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma.
City required only five minutes to restore their two-goal advantage. Foden found Rayan Cherki, who created space with a clever drag-back before finishing into the bottom corner. Foden then struck again after another Lewis assist, finding the top corner from inside the penalty area in the 65th minute.
The England international completed his hat-trick 11 minutes later, turning in substitute Ryan McAidoo’s cross to round off a comfortable victory in City’s 150th Champions League fixture.
It was Foden’s fourth hat-trick for City and his first in the competition, while Haaland was not required from the bench. Victory leaves Maresca’s side with six points from three league-phase matches following their win at Porto and defeat by Paris Saint-Germain.
City return to Premier League action at Aston Villa on Saturday before visiting RB Leipzig in the Champions League on 4 November.
For all the latest Man City news, reaction and Champions League updates, visit our Man City news page.
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