Villarreal vs Manchester City Player Ratings- Savinho Shines as Pep’s Men Cruise in Europe! | OneFootball

Under the bright La Cerámica lights, Manchester City delivered a performance of quiet control and ruthless precision. There was no chaos, no crisis – just a side confident in their rhythm and identity. Pep Guardiola’s men, masters of the tempo, brushed aside Villarreal 2-0 to take command of their Champions League fortunes.

It was not the most explosive display Manchester City have produced in Europe, but it did not need to be. Every movement was deliberate, every passing sequence premeditated, as if choreographed days in advance. Rico Lewis, all intelligence and energy, was instrumental in the opener – darting onto a neat through ball from Savinho before unselfishly squaring for Erling Haaland, who continues to make the extraordinary appear ordinary. Twelve consecutive games. Twelve consecutive goals.

The second came with the same symmetry – Savinho again at the heart of it, this time the provider of a delicate cross for Bernardo Silva to glance home with the sort of timing and technique that embodies this Guardiola side. A few late scares, a post struck, and a few wayward Villarreal counters aside, Manchester City were never truly troubled. Donnarumma’s clean sheet, and Guardiola’s measured satisfaction, told the story.

Villarreal Player Ratings

Reis Junior – 6.5/10

Made several important interventions to prevent Manchester City from running riot down the flanks and produced a fine low stop from Haaland late on. Could do little about either goal.

Santiago Mourino – 5.5/10

Struggled with Manchester City’s rotations and often caught between tracking Doku or covering the half-space runs of Silva. Composed in phases but overwhelmed as the game wore on.

Juan Foyth – 6/10

One of Villarreal’s steadier defenders. Read the game reasonably well, stepping into midfield when needed, but lacked the pace to cope when Manchester City moved the ball quickly.

Renato Veiga – 7/10

Showed maturity beyond his years at the back. Composed on the ball and often the starting point for Villarreal’s rare forays forward. A lone pillar of calm amid defensive turbulence.

Alfonso Pedraza – 4.5/10

Endured a difficult night against Savinho, who repeatedly found joy down his flank. Offered little going forward and failed to recover positionally for Manchester City’s second goal.

Tajon Buchanan – 5/10

Worked tirelessly but was too easily bypassed by Manchester City’s press. Tried to inject energy in transition but found little support in the final third.

Thomas Partey – 6.5/10

The Ghanaian was Villarreal’s most composed midfielder, keeping the ball moving and attempting to shield the defence. Struggled to contain the combination of Silva and Lewis when Manchester City advanced centrally.

Santi Comesaña – 4/10

Anonymous for long stretches. Couldn’t handle Manchester City’s midfield rotations and looked lost defensively. Withdrawn before the hour mark.

Pape Gueye – 5.5/10

Pressed well early on but his influence waned as Manchester City took control of possession. Tried to support Partey but lacked the precision to break lines effectively.

Nicolas Pepe – 4.5/10

Isolated for most of the match. A few dangerous bursts but lacked conviction and final product. A frustrating evening where his body language summed up Villarreal’s lack of belief.

Georges Mikautadze – 5/10

Starved of service and outmuscled by Manchester City’s defenders. Tried to press high but was often left chasing shadows.

Substitutes

Sergi Cardona – 7/10

Offered energy and purpose from the bench.

Tani Oluwaseyi – 7/10

Injected directness and physical presence up front. Nearly capitalised on a late defensive lapse but saw his strike rebound off the post.

Alberto Moleiro – 5/10

Showed flashes of creativity but too lightweight to influence proceedings.

Dani Parejo – 4/10

Introduced to add control but failed to dictate play. Slowed the tempo when Villarreal needed urgency.

Ayoze Perez – 4/10

A quiet cameo. Lost possession cheaply and contributed little defensively.

Manchester city Player Ratings

Gianluigi Donnarumma – 7.5/10

A reassuring presence throughout. Produced one vital save in the second half to deny Pepe. His growing command of Manchester City’s defensive line continues to impress.

Matheus Nunes – 7/10

Superb both defensively and in transition. His understanding with Savinho and Lewis down the right flank was a constant threat. Strolled through phases of play with confidence and balance.

Rúben Dias – 7/10

A rock at the back, commanding aerially and calm under pressure. Harshly booked in the second half but otherwise untroubled. His partnership with Stones offered total control.

John Stones – 7.5/10

Effortless as ever. Alternated between centre-back and midfield seamlessly, offering passing lanes and composure. Intercepted cleverly to snuff out counterattacks.

Joško Gvardiol – 6.5/10

A mixed outing. His defensive contribution was solid, but several loose passes invited Villarreal pressure. Guardiola’s visible frustration suggested he expects sharper execution.

Nico González – 7.5/10

Looked assured and progressive before injury curtailed his evening. His awareness and positional intelligence continue to make him one of Manchester City’s more underrated assets.

Bernardo Silva – 8/10

Relentless and intelligent. Scored Manchester City’s second with a deft header, then dropped deeper to control rhythm and tempo. His blend of creativity and graft epitomises Guardiola’s football.

Rico Lewis – 6.5/10

Brilliant in the first half, orchestrating play and assisting Haaland’s opener. His positional fluidity repeatedly disoriented Villarreal. Faded slightly after the break but another mature performance.

Savinho – 8/10

Electrifying. Two assists, endless running, and constant menace. Combined incisively with Lewis and Nunes and came close to scoring himself. Arguably his best display in a Manchester City shirt so far.

Jeremy Doku – 5.5/10

Energetic but erratic. Missed an early chance and failed to find consistency against a packed Villarreal defence. Replaced midway through the second half.

Erling Haaland – 8.5/10

Inevitable. Took his goal with his usual cold precision and bullied the back line throughout. Denied a second by Junior late on, but his streak of 12 consecutive games with a goal tells its own story.

Substitutes

Mateo Kovacic– 6.5/10

Seamlessly slotted into midfield, threading sharp passes and dictating tempo. Helped Manchester City maintain control.

Tijjani Reijnders– 6.5/10

Carried the ball confidently but overran possession on occasion. Still settling into Manchester City’s patterns.

Oscar Bobb– 6/10

Neat and tidy cameo without major impact.

Omar Marmoush– 5/10

Late appearance to run down the clock.

Rayan Cherki– 5.5/10

Minimal time to influence proceedings.

Man of the Match: Savinho (Manchester City)

One assist and three chances created from four key passes and eighteen successful final third passes – a dazzling display of energy, vision, and technique. The Brazilian embodied everything Guardiola’s side stood for – pace, precision, and perpetual motion.

Conclusion: Manchester City’s European Engine Hums Smoothly

For Manchester City, this was business as usual – meticulous, measured, and merciless when it mattered. With seven points from three matches, Guardiola’s men look well placed with minimal fuss. The clean sheet will please the manager as much as the goals, and the fluency of Savinho and Lewis hints at fresh evolution in Manchester City’s system.

Villarreal, industrious but outclassed, were left chasing shadows. For Manchester City, though, the Champions League machine rolls on – efficient, inevitable, and quietly unstoppable.