Nico Gonzalez says he has never experienced anything like the searing heat that greeted Manchester City’s 3-1 win over the K League All Stars, as Enzo Maresca’s side battled both an spirited home XI and temperatures nudging 36C in Seoul.
Goals from Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and Divin Mubama inside the first half were enough to see off the K League All Stars, who pulled a goal back through Kim Dae-won at the Seoul World Cup Stadium.
It was the second outing of City’s Asia tour and the perfect response after Maresca’s reign began with a penalty shootout defeat to Inter Milan days earlier in Hong Kong.
“I have never played in conditions like this before. I have played in Spain for a couple of years and this summer it was hot, but not like this, ever,” Gonzalez said after the match.
The result gave Maresca his first win since replacing Pep Guardiola at the Etihad, though the head coach and his players had to work through conditions few had encountered before.
City made many substitutions across both sides during a second half that slowed considerably as players wilted in the humidity, with the closing stages passing without further incident.
City adapting to life after Guardiola
Gonzalez, one of 31 players on City’s travelling squad, has featured in both pre-season matches so far and used the trip to reflect on the club’s transition under its new head coach, according to Manchester Evening News.
The 24-year-old midfielder, who played 45 minutes against Inter before featuring again in Seoul, said the group is still finding its feet with Maresca’s methods but insisted the process is a gradual one rather than something that can be rushed.
“We won’t know everything that we could learn during the year before the first week of the season, but even when one year has passed, we will always keep learning,” he said.
“That’s football and that’s life. It’s not easy because some players will come the same week as the Community Shield but for us that have been here since day one it’s going to be easier to be ready for that match.”
The Spaniard added that the training sessions in Hong Kong were demanding but purposeful ahead of the new campaign.
“I feel tired because we’ve been training a lot,” he said. “That’s good though, we have to get used to this rhythm. It’s been a long summer and we have to be ready and suffer a little bit.
“We did a good job against Inter, the ideas are getting more clear and that’s the most important thing for now.”
Maresca pleased with progress despite the heat
City made two changes from the side beaten on penalties by Inter, with Rayan Ait-Nouri and Ruben Dias coming into the starting eleven.
The head coach fielded a strong line-up including Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Antoine Semenyo and Phil Foden, though he remained without several senior figures still on international duty following this summer’s World Cup, among them Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and Marc Guehi.
Divin Mubama continued his encouraging pre-season form with City’s third goal, having also found the net in the defeat to Inter, while Jeremy Monga and Savinho impressed after coming on in the second half.
City’s preparations for the new season now move to their final pre-season assignment against Atletico Madrid on 9 August, again at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, before the squad returns home to face Arsenal in the Community Shield on 16 August.
