Josko Gvardiol expressed immense pride in his Manchester City teammate Nico O'Reilly, who scored against Real Madrid in the Champions League. City's manager, Pep Guardiola, saw his team fall behind at Santiago Bernabeu before O'Reilly equalised and Erling Haaland secured victory with a penalty. At 20 years and 264 days old, O'Reilly became the second-youngest player to score for an English club against Madrid in this competition.
O'Reilly's performance against Real Madrid adds to his impressive record this season. He has been directly involved in four Premier League goals, scoring once and assisting three times. In European competitions, he has also contributed a goal and an assist. Gvardiol is thrilled to see O'Reilly stepping up during crucial
moments for City. "I'm super proud of him," said Gvardiol.
Gvardiol further praised O'Reilly's maturity on the field despite his young age. "I'm really happy for him as well," he stated. "He's young, but to be honest with you, two days ago I was thinking that when I see him playing next to me, I feel like he's 30. " Gvardiol believes O'Reilly's inclusion in the starting lineup is justified by his quality and potential.
A moment Nico will never forget pic.twitter.com/5Fh4OIUiC4
- Manchester City (@ManCity) December 11, 2025
The victory over Real Madrid marked City's fourth consecutive win across all competitions. This streak places them second in the Premier League and fourth in the Champions League standings. Despite losing key players like Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker from past title-winning squads, Gvardiol remains confident in City's ability to compete for major honours.
When asked about maintaining their winning momentum, Gvardiol responded positively: "I think so," he said. "I think we're doing good. Like I say every time, we go game by game, not to look too far ahead. " He emphasised the strength of their squad depth: "We have amazing players on the bench who are more than ready to come in. "
Gvardiol highlighted the support O'Reilly receives from everyone at the club, including teammates, management, and staff. He believes this backing will help O'Reilly achieve significant milestones in his career: "He just needs to keep going," Gvardiol added.
