Manchester City opened the evening at the Etihad Stadium with an emphatic display in their 4-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the group phase of the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League. From the first whistle, City imposed their tempo and thrust, gradually turning dominance into goals.
The hosts took the opportunity to send a clear message: Dortmund might have arrived with ambitions, but Manchester City had sharper edges.
Dortmund, under pressure, began with a degree of authority and pressing intent. They sought to unsettle City early, and for a brief spell, the visitors looked capable of doing so.
But gradually City’s quality began to shine through, especially down the flanks where the speed of Jeremy Doku and Savinho unsettled the Dortmund back-line and opened space in midfield.
At the 22nd minute mark it was City’s magical shift that unlocked the deadlock: Phil Foden collected a pass from Tijjani Reijnders, advanced into the box and fired a crisp left-foot strike into the bottom corner beyond Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. From that moment, City’s ascendancy became obvious.
Just seven minutes later, City doubled their lead. Doku again proved instrumental, darting into space and teeing up Erling Haaland, who finished with clinical precision from close range.
Haaland’s return to this fixture, facing his former club, added emotional weight, but he simply carried on his ruthless form. The first half concluded with City firmly in control, their slick passing and positional discipline making Dortmund’s defensive shape appear increasingly porous.
After the break, it did not take long for City to further put the game beyond doubt. In the 57th minute Foden again found space, received another smart pass from Reijnders, and curled a beautiful shot into the far corner.
That was his first Champions League brace for the club, and it came at a perfect moment. Dortmund did respond, in the 72nd minute Waldemar Anton headed in a cross from Julian Ryerson off a set-piece, pulling one back and fostering a brief sense of hope.
But the momentum firmly remained with City, and in stoppage time substitute Rayan Cherki put the gloss on the result with a composed finish to make it 4-1.
Pep Guardiola’s side thus advanced their position in the group. With ten points after four games, City are in a strong spot to qualify for the knockout phase in comfortable style.
For Dortmund, the defeat was a setback: they still remain in contention but the manner of the defeat raised questions. A team that pressed early and had intent started to lose shape, and from the moment City struck first the German side looked increasingly out of sync.
For Dortmund, the game revealed several fault lines. The high press initially looked promising, but as City found space through the wings and central midfield, the visitors began to retreat into reactive mode.