Seoul: Manchester City defeat Atletico Madrid 3-1 in pre-season friendly

By Joel Kavanagh — 9 August 2026 — 3 min read

Manchester City concluded their pre-season tour of Asia with a 3-1 victory over Atletico Madrid in a friendly match held in Seoul, South Korea. The win marked the end of City’s preparations before their next competitive fixture.

The match saw Omar Marmoush score two goals in quick succession during the second half, turning the game around for City. Antoine Semenyo provided the assists for both of Marmoush’s goals. Rayan Ait-Nouri sealed the victory with a third goal for City in injury time.

Match Overview

Atletico Madrid initially took the lead just before half-time. Following a corner from Koke that City failed to clear effectively, Morten Hjulmand set up Jorge Dominguez, who scored past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. This goal came despite City having been the more dominant side for much of the first half.

City’s response came in the 57th minute when Semenyo kept the ball in play on the left flank, charged into the penalty area, and delivered a low cross that Marmoush converted for the equaliser. Just two minutes later, the pair combined again in a similar fashion, with Marmoush comfortably finishing another low cross from Semenyo.

The crowd of over 50,000 at the Seoul World Cup Stadium showed significant enthusiasm, particularly for the introduction of Atletico’s South Korea international, Lee Kang-in, in the second half. Lee had an opportunity to level the score but his shot went wide of the post.

The final goal of the match came in injury time, with Ait-Nouri racing onto a through ball from Divin Mubama and striking it low into the bottom corner to secure City’s 3-1 win.

Squad and Tour Details

For the match against Atletico Madrid, Enzo Maresca made four changes from the team that defeated the K-League All Stars. Matheus Nunes, Vitor Reis, Savinho, and Omar Marmoush were brought into the starting lineup. Rico Lewis, Abdukodir Khusanov, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Divin Mubama were among those who stepped out, with Khusanov returning home for personal reasons.

The starting XI for City included Donnarumma in goal, with a back four of Nunes, Reis, Ruben Dias (captain), and Josko Gvardiol. In midfield, Tijjani Reijnders and Mateo Kovacic held positions, while Savinho, Phil Foden, and Semenyo supported Marmoush in attack.

This match was City’s third and final game in Asia during their pre-season tour. Earlier in the tour, City drew 1-1 with Inter Milan in Hong Kong but lost the subsequent penalty shootout. They then secured a 3-1 victory over the K-League All Stars in Seoul on Wednesday.

The tour provided an opportunity for the team to prepare for the upcoming season, despite facing extreme temperatures in Seoul and heavy rain in Hong Kong. Several key players, including Erling Haaland, Rodri, Rayan Cherki, Jeremy Doku, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly, Elliot Anderson, and Ruben Dias, did not travel to Asia for the pre-season fixtures.

Looking Ahead

Manchester City’s next fixture is scheduled for Sunday, 16 August. They will face reigning Premier League champions Arsenal in the Community Shield at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. This match is anticipated to be an important opportunity for Enzo Maresca to provide game time to players who participated in the later stages of the World Cup.

The encounter with Atletico Madrid concluded City’s pre-season schedule in Asia.

The team’s performance in Seoul, particularly the contributions from Marmoush and Semenyo, offered positive signs as they head into the new season.

The pre-season tour allowed City to engage with fans in both Hong Kong and Seoul, with thousands attending matches and training sessions.

Source: bbc.co.uk