Goal efficiency
How clinical and direct the player was in front of goal — volume, accuracy, and conversion.
Manchester City · Community Shield · Midfielder · #8 · Croatia · 31 yrs
M. Kovačić plays as a midfielder for Manchester City. M. Kovačić is a represents Croatia, 31 years old, midfielder, currently at Manchester City. M. Kovačić wears shirt number 8 for Manchester City. M. Kovačić was born in Linz, Austria on 1994-05-06. M. Kovačić is 177 cm tall and weighs 78 kg. M. Kovačić's Sportra profile tracks season statistics across Community Shield, FIFA Club World Cup, World Cup, World Cup - Qualification Europe, and other leagues. M. Kovačić's page brings together career clubs, trophies, injury history, multi-competition stats, and related news headlines. On Sportra you can explore M. Kovačić season statistics, transfer history, trophies, injury updates, and related news across every competition tracked in the profile.
| Season | Team |
|---|---|
| 2026 |  Aldosivi ALD |
| 2025 |  Manchester City MCI |
| 2024 |  Croatia CRO |
| 2024 | Manchester City MCI |
| 2023 | Croatia CRO |
| Date | Type | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-27 | € 29.1M |  Chelsea CHE | Manchester City MCI |
| 2019-07-01 | € 45M |  Real Madrid REA | Chelsea CHE |
| 2018-08-09 | Loan | Real Madrid REA | Chelsea CHE |
Season intelligence
Profile as Midfielder: high usage. Archetype: Box-to-box engine. Season rating 7.0.
Scaled 0–99 from season output — map to fantasy, comparisons, or scouting cards.
Per-90 rates, efficiency ratios, and Sportra indices from season totals.
How clinical and direct the player was in front of goal — volume, accuracy, and conversion.
Playmaking output: assists, key passes, and custom chance-creation signals.
Tackles, duels, and off-ball defensive contribution.
Shot-stopping, goals conceded, and penalty saves.
Minutes, availability, and how central they were to the team.
Every tracked category for this league and season, grouped by Sportra.
Erling Haaland after Manchester City’s win over Porto (Picture: Amazon) Erling Haaland believes Manchester City have found a new weapon as they look to dethrone Premier League champions Arsenal. Man City began their Champions League campaign with an impressive 2-0 win over Portuguese giants Porto. After a goalless first half, prolific goalscorer Haaland gave Man City the lead with a 47th-minute header. The Norwegian superstar put the game to bed with City’s second in injury time, taking his tally for the club to 36 Champions League goals in only 40 appearances. Exclusive Premier League previews Get ahead of the start of the season with our weekly football newsletter. Sign up now for free. Haaland’s form was not the only promising sign for Manchester City, with Enzo Fernandez impressing following his £125m move from Chelsea and £86m signing Ayyoub Bouaddi thriving on his first start for the club. Man City’s midfield was weekended by Rodri’s £65m move to Barcelona but Etihad bosses appear to have signed well in Fernandez and Bouaddi. Morocco international Bouaddi only joined City two weeks ago but has already impressed Haaland, who described him as a ‘gem’ and revealed he had told decision-makers at the club that he looked ‘amazing’ in training. Manchester City’s £86m signing Ayyoub Bouaddi (Picture: Getty) ‘I think he played a very good game,’ Haaland said of 18-year-old Bouaddi, who was linked with several Premier League clubs before joining Man City. ‘Last couple of weeks in training, I told the chairman that he has been amazing, so I think we have a gem here. ‘But to be honest, I think he should of played me through in the second half when I was all alone. I was a bit angry, so I will tell him right now, he played a good game, except that pass!’ Haaland scored twice against Porto (Picture: Getty) Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca also praised Bouaddi, describing his performance against Porto as ‘unbelievable’. ‘The good thing is that from Erling [Haaland], Ruben [Dias], Mateo [Kovacic] you expect how to manage this game but Ayyoub was never in panic,’ Maresca told Amazon Prime. ‘He was very good and I think the performance was unbelievable.’ Erling Haaland reacts to Man City's win in Porto 🗣️Still a few bits to learn for new signing Ayyoub Bouaddi 😅 pic.twitter.com/bbAeD1y905— Prime Video Sport UK (@primevideosport) September 8, 2026 Discussing Man City’s win more generally, ex-Chelsea manager Maresca added: ‘I think we could’ve scored more goals, especially in the first half but overall I think we deserved to win the game. ‘We created enough chances to win the game. We didn’t concede a lot. It’s normal to come here and concede some chances because it’s normal, so overall happy with the performance. ‘I think I am lucky because all the squad is good players, for a manager it is easy because you can give minutes to all of them, and tonight I think the guys that were inside were very good.’ Haaland was also pleased with City’s display out in Portugal, saying: ‘It was a difficult fight, man against man. They are a top team, honestly they are impressive. ‘They play amazing football so well done to them, but with all the pressure [on us] we had to deliver on the biggest stage. That’s what we did today.’ Manchester City suffered a deflating 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield last month but have not put a foot wrong since the season started. City will look to maintain their perfect start to the Premier League campaign on Sunday when they make the short trip to Old Trafford to face rivals Manchester United. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Nico O’Reilly has been ruled out of Manchester City’s game against Coventry (Getty) Nico O’Reilly missed Manchester City’s Premier League match against Coventry City after suffering an injury during the warm-up. The 21-year-old was named in Enzo Maresca’s starting line-up for City’s game at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon. However, O’Reilly pulled up during the warm-up with a back injury and after speaking with the club’s medical staff he went down the tunnel before his teammates. O’Reilly was then replaced in City’s starting line-up by their new £125 million signing Enzo Fernandez. Exclusive Premier League previews Get ahead of the start of the season with our weekly football newsletter. Sign up now for free. Speaking about O’Reilly’s injury after the game, Maresca said: ‘Nico felt something in his back, it doesn’t look like something serious but he was not able to play.’ City sealed a 1-0 win over Coventry with Erling Haaland’s goal in the first half. Nico O’Reilly injured his back during the warm-up (PA Wire) O’Reilly’s injury will come as a concern for City as they play Porto in their first Champions League league phase game on Tuesday. Maresca also explained why he decided to start Fernandez on the bench before O’Reilly’s injury forced the change to his starting line-up. Man City vs Coventry City line-ups (Getty) Man City: Donnarumma, Khusanov, Dias, Guehi, Gvardiol, Anderson, Fernandez, Ndiaye, Cherki, Semenyo, Haaland. Subs: Rulli, Kovacic, Ait-Nouri, Nunes, Bouaddi, Foden, McAidoo, Rico Lewis. Coventry City: Rushworth, Van Ewijk, Amenda, Thomas, Pinnock, DaSilva, Onyeka, Grimes, Rudoni, Mason-Clark, Awoniyi. Subs: Bentley, Sakamoto, Yirenkyi, Simms, Tchaouno, Latibeaudiere, Thomas-Asante, Torp, Hamer. ‘The reason why Enzo was on the bench was because he arrived two days ago,’ Maresca said. ‘I know how frustrating it has been for Enzo the last two or three weeks. So the idea was to give him some minutes but at the end he played from the start. ‘I think it was quite good and I’m happy also with this performance.’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Enzo Fernández and Sandro Tonali had big-money summer moves, but can they hold a candle to past greats?Perhaps the only thing you really need to know about the modern midfield role is that Enzo Maresca reckons that Marc Guéhi can play it better than Mateo Kovacic. Guéhi, in reality a centre-back, started the season in midfield for Manchester City, ahead of Kovacic, the now-departed Nico González, and Matheus Nunes. In this context City’s purchase of Enzo Fernández for a club record £125m can be seen in one of two ways: either an enormous statement of intent, or a hell of a lot of money to pay for Guéhi’s understudy.We jest, of course. Fernández is in fact a very different kind of midfielder to Guéhi, largely on the basis that he actually is a midfielder. Versatile, able to receive deep from the goalkeeper or the centre-halves; capable of recycling or progressing the ball in tight spots, driving into final-third positions as a No 8, ghosting into the penalty area and offering an advanced goal threat. Like Elliot Anderson, signed from Nottingham Forest for £116m but so long ago that in transfer window time it no longer counts, Fernández is one of the new breed of Premier League central midfielders who seems to offer everything; albeit in modest qualities, and whose primary attribute appears to be the absence of exposed risk he represents. Continue reading...
Midfielder Marc Guehi scored for Manchester City on Sunday (Picture: Getty Images) Marc Guehi was a surprise selection in Manchester City’s midfield against Bournemouth on Sunday, but enjoyed his new position under Enzo Maresca. The England international lined up in the middle of the park alongside summer signing Elliot Anderson at the Etihad. When Marcus Tavernier gave the Cherries the lead in the 26th minute it looked like a gamble that was not paying off for the new boss. However, after a long wait for an equaliser it was Guehi who provided it, heading in on 84 minutes. Exclusive Premier League previews Get ahead of the start of the season with our weekly football newsletter. Sign up now for free. As the clock ticked into injury time, Josko Gvardiol then produced a brilliantly taken winner to earn three points for City from behind. Guehi has spent his career playing at centre-back but relished his more advanced role in the first Premier League game of the season. ‘I enjoyed it today,’ he told the BBC. ‘Simply because I had so much help from every single person, and so much support from the team, and when you have that, you feel comfortable to just go out, play, and do what you can for the team.’ Guehi headed in the equaliser after missing a big chance earlier (Picture: AP Photo) Maresca did have both Nico Gonzalez and Mateo Kovacic on the bench against Bournemouth, but explained why he fancied Guehi alongside Anderson. ‘In this moment it’s a matter of finding a solution,’ he told a post-match press conference. ‘I know Marc from [Crystal] Palace and always thought he could play midfielder because he’s very good. ‘Sometimes you visualise, we tried in the first two days in the week after the Arsenal game as a central defender stepping [up], and then tried in the last two days as a proper midfielder. And I think it was quite a good performance from him. ‘Now the good thing is now he gives us solutions for the future.’ Enzo Maresca narrowly avoided dropping points in his first Premier League outing as Manchester City boss (Picture: AP Photo) Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi is about to arrive from Lille, which may mean Guehi’s venture into midfield will be short-lived. However, Maresca would not comment on the expected deal to sign the 18-year-old, saying: ‘To be honest, I didn’t see no one from the club. So after the press conference, I will see them. So please wait, because I don’t know if there are any updates at the moment. So probably you’re more updated than me.’ Manchester City are back in action on Friday night at Crystal Palace and Maresca will be tempted to make changes to his starting XI. No mistakes this time from Marc Guehi 😤 pic.twitter.com/xlCJXWUzz6— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 23, 2026 Rayan Cherki came on for the final half hour and provided the assists for both Guehi and Gvardiol’s goals. Phil Foden started in the no.10 role but his place will be under threat from the Frenchman. Elliot Anderson limped out of the game in the second half, but Maresca suggested that he would be fit for the trip to Selhurst Park. ‘I think it was cramp,’ said Maresca of the England midfielder. ‘We still have four or five players that are not 100 per cent and he is one of them.’ Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Elliot Anderson suffered an injury during Man City’s win over Bournemouth (Photo: Getty) Enzo Maresca has given an update on Elliot Anderson after he came off injured during Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Bournemouth on Sunday. After being humiliated by Arsenal on his debut in the Community Shield last week, Maresca was on course to lose his first Premier League match since replacing Pep Guardiola in the City dugout. Marcus Tavernier gave Bournemouth a shock lead at the Etihad, with City struggling to get to grips with Maresca’s tactics, which included defender Marc Guehi bizarrely playing in midfield. But it was Guehi who got the Citizens back in the game, equalising late on before Joško Gvardiol scored in injury-time to snatch the three points for the home side. Exclusive Premier League previews Get ahead of the start of the season with our weekly football newsletter. Sign up now for free. But there was bad news for Maresca, as summer signing Anderson went down on the pitch during the second-half, feeling his hamstring after a collision with Alex Scott. The midfielder, who started every game bar one for England at the World Cup, was able to get to his feet but was quickly substituted for Mateo Kovacic. The sight of Anderson limping off the pitch in his first league game since his record-breaking £116million transfer from Nottingham Forest, is not one City fans wanted to see. Anderson was immediately subbed off for Mateo Kovacic (Photo: Getty) But Maresca has allayed fears of any painful injury, revealing Anderson was just suffering from cramp as a result of not having a proper pre-season following the World Cup. ‘I think it was cramp,’ The Italian told reporters after full-time. ‘We still have four or five players that are not 100 per cent and he is one of them.’ He later added in his post-match press conference: ‘Today we had four or five players that arrived very late, 10 days ago, so for them it’s almost still pre-season. {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Maresca hails Cherki's 'unbelievable impact' as Man City come from behind to win","contentUrl":"https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2026\/08\/24\/7970597677299644579\/480x270_MP4_7970597677299644579.mp4","description":"Cherki set up both goals as City produced a dramatic late fightback to beat the Cherries 2-1 in their Premier League opener at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.","duration":"T8M21S","height":270,"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/08\/24\/07\/110812347-0-image-a-1_1787551387695.jpg","uploadDate":"2026-08-24T07:00:29+0100","width":480} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener('metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded', function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === 'undefined') { return; } var player = data.detail.carousel.el_; var container = player.closest('.metro-video-player'); var placeholder = container.querySelector('.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder'); if (placeholder) { container.removeChild(placeholder); container.classList.add('metro-video-player--related-videos-loaded'); } }); Marc Guehi and Josko Gvardiol scored to secure Enzo Maresca’s first Man City win (Photo: Getty) ‘Erling [Haaland] is one, Elliot, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly, so it’s complicated. But they’ve done a huge effort to help.’ There’s a quick turnaround to City’s next game away to Crystal Palace on Friday night. Asked about Andersons performance against Bournemouth, Maresca added: ‘He was very good. Elliot was very good on the ball, very good off the ball. ‘I have a good feeling with Elliot that he’s going to be better and better. Again, for him this was like pre-season. He arrived 10 days ago but the feeling with him is that he’s going to be very good for this club in the future.’ City’s midfield is being
Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic has urged fans to give Enzo Maresca's side time after their 3-0 loss to Arsenal in the Community Shield. Arsenal are a team who when they score they are good and stay in the lead. "It has been different under Maresca and I think it will take time, which is normal for new things, but he has adapted really well and we have a good connection with him."
With Rodri reportedly set to join Barcelona for a $87.8M fee, the lineup alongside Lamine Yamal and Pedri starts to take shape. Rodri‘s potential transfer to FC Barcelona has emerged as one of the defining storylines of the 2026 summer transfer window. With the Blaugrana and Manchester City reportedly reaching a full agreement on an $87.8 million fee, Hansi Flick’s squad is beginning to take definitive shape as the star midfielder prepares to slot in alongside Lamine Yamal and Pedri. According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Manchester City have agreed to a package worth up to 76.5 million euros ($87.8M USD) for Rodri to complete his move to Barcelona. The Spanish midfielder, who was entering the final year of his contract with the Sky Blues, will sign a long-term deal keeping him at the Catalan club through June 2030. The deal consists of a guaranteed base fee of 60 million euros ($65.8M USD), with the remaining 16.5 million euros structured in performance-based add-ons. The Athletic reports that 11 million euros of those incentives are considered easily achievable, giving Manchester City full confidence in recouping at least 71.5 million euros from the transaction. Barcelona have held a long-standing interest in Rodri and accelerated negotiations once the midfielder made it clear he preferred a move to the Camp Nou over competing interest from Real Madrid. After being left out of Manchester City’s squad for the FA Community Shield against Arsenal, travel arrangements and medical examinations are now being finalized to officially complete the transfer. Mateo Kovacic of Croatia battles for possession with Rodri and Pedri of Spain. (Julian Finney/Getty Images) How does Rodri fit in Barcelona? Barcelona have previously struggled to establish a firm identity during brief coaching tenures under Quique Setien and Ronald Koeman, though Xavi Hernandez brought initial structural stability. However, since Hansi Flick took charge and Lamine Yamal emerged as a generational superstar, the Blaugrana have re-established themselves as one of Europe’s most formidable attacking forces. Bringing tactical principles refined during his time at Bayern Munich and the Germany national team, Flick introduced a far more direct, vertical playing style while preserving Barcelona’s traditional possession-based roots. However, that high-octane verticality often proved to be a double-edged sword, leaving the back line vulnerable whenever an opponent bypassed the team’s high press. This dynamic produced several chaotic, high-scoring affairs, including a 7-2 win over Newcastle United, a 3-3 draw against Club Brugge, a 5-4 thriller over Benfica, and a wild 7-6 aggregate semifinals series against Inter Milan in 2024-25. While thrilling for neutral observers, those frantic games revealed a lingering tactical imbalance despite Barcelona remaining committed to their press and high defensive line. That aggressive approach, while effective domestically, exposed vulnerabilities in Flick’s pursuit of European silverware. By adding Rodri to the midfield engine room, the German manager gains a elite defensive anchor capable of dictating tempo rather than forcing rapid transitions, providing vital structural balance through his world-class distribution and defensive positioning. Projected lineup for Barcelona with Rodri’s arrival With Rodri’s arrival, Barcelona’s starting defensive unit is expected to remain largely intact. Joan Garcia will start in goal, flanked by Jules Kounde at right back, Alejandro Balde at left back, and the tandem of Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin operating at center back. In midfield, Rodri and Pedri are projected to form a double pivot, albeit with distinctly complementary responsibilities. Operating as the deep-lying playmaker, Rodri will drop between the center backs to anchor the build-up phase, unlocking Pedri to advance into a traditional No. 8 role where he can dribble and feed line-breaking passes to the front line. With Robert Lewando
Arsenal and Manchester City clash at Cardiff's Principality Stadium for the 2026 Community Shield—check out the confirmed lineups and match preview. Arsenal and Manchester City meet in the 2026 FA Community Shield to officially kick off the English football season before the Premier League campaign gets underway. The clash will take place at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, with kickoff set for 3:00 p.m. BST (10:00 a.m. ET) on Sunday, August 16. Both clubs earned their place in Cardiff by winning major domestic honors. Arsenal enter as the reigning Premier League champions following a commanding 2025–26 campaign, while Manchester City claimed the FA Cup to secure their spot. This matchup marks a significant turning point for Manchester City. After a decade of dominance under Pep Guardiola, the Citizens will be playing their first official match under new manager Enzo Maresca. Maresca is expected to introduce a possession-dominant, high-tempo system that will face an immediate test against Mikel Arteta’s highly disciplined Arsenal side. Because of a scheduling conflict at Wembley Stadium—which is hosting The Weeknd from August 14 to 19—the match was moved to Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. It is the first time the Community Shield has been played in Cardiff since 2022. Arsenal confirmed lineup Mikel Arteta has officially confirmed his lineup, with the Gunners boasting strong squad continuity. Arsenal will rely on their established core, though pre-season fitness and late returns from summer international tournaments having an impact on the final XI. Confirmed XI (4-3-3): Raya; White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Lewis-Skelly, Guimaraes; Madueke, Havertz, Tzolis. Manchester City confirmed lineup Enzo Maresca’s first competitive lineup as Manchester City manager is a mix of established stars and new faces. Projected XI (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Kovacic, Anderson, Semenyo; Foden Haaland, Doku.
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