Antoine Semenyo Compared to Lionel Messi After Heroic Performance vs Atletico Madrid

• Antoine Semenyo provided two assists in as many minutes as Manchester City beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 in a pre-season friendly on August 9
• New City manager Enzo Maresca has deployed Semenyo in a wider role, with fans claiming the transformation has been 'beyond recognition'
• Semenyo contributed to 21 goals across 37 matches last season for both City and Bournemouth before his £62.5m January transfer

Enzo Maresca has only been in the Manchester City job for 41 days, but the new manager is already receiving widespread praise for the impact he appears to have made on one of his key players.

City continued their pre-season preparations with an impressive 3-1 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital on Sunday, with Omar Marmoush scoring twice and Rayan Ait-Nouri also finding the net.

However, much of the post-match attention centred on Antoine Semenyo.

The Ghanaian international produced a dazzling display at the Wanda Metropolitano, particularly with his dribbling and attacking movement, while providing two assists within the space of just two minutes.

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Man City fans likens Semenyo to Messi

His performance quickly sparked a wave of excitement among City supporters on social media, with some going as far as comparing the 26-year-old's dribbling ability to Lionel Messi.

One fan wrote:

“Antoine Semenyo under Enzo Maresca might be a better dribbler than Lionel Messi, what am I watching?!”

Another posted:

“You guys are not ready for what Enzo Maresca is going to cook with Semenyo next season.”

A third supporter described Semenyo as “an absolute beast,” while another claimed Maresca had transformed him “beyond recognition”, even suggesting he was now better than Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Luis Diaz.

Those comparisons may be exaggerated, but Semenyo's early pre-season form has certainly given City supporters plenty to be excited about.

The winger has now registered at least one assist in each of City's three pre-season matches and appears to be thriving in a wider role than the one he occupied under Pep Guardiola.

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Semenyo Could Have Another Level to Reach

The prospect of Semenyo becoming even more dangerous next season is particularly intriguing given how impressive he already was last term.

The Ghanaian was among the Premier League's standout performers statistically, contributing to 21 goals across 37 appearances for Bournemouth and Manchester City before completing his £62.5 million move during the winter transfer window.

Yet Maresca's tactical preferences could unlock another dimension to his game.

The new City boss favours wide attacking formations, allowing players such as Semenyo to operate in more expansive positions and take on defenders one-on-one.

He will also have the luxury of playing alongside one of the world's most prolific strikers in Erling Haaland, potentially creating even more opportunities for the Ghanaian to contribute in the final third.

If Semenyo can continue developing under Maresca, City may have a player capable of reaching an even higher level in the 2026/27 campaign.

That possibility will concern Premier League rivals, particularly Arsenal and Liverpool, who are themselves searching for solutions in wide attacking areas ahead of the new season.

Source: YEN.com.gh