I scored on my Champions League debut… but my parents missed it as they were watching another game 840 miles away
JAMES McATEE’S mum and dad missed the magic moment he has waited more than a decade for — as they were 840 miles away at Northampton’s Sixfields Stadium instead!
The England Under-21 international scored his first senior goal for Manchester City in the 4-0 Champions League win over Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday night.
Local lad McAtee, 21, has been turning out for the club since the Under-11s and admits he has dreamt about this day since his journey at the City Football Academy began
Yet his parents did not travel to Slovakia – instead choosing to watch their other son John, 25, score for Bolton in a League One clash against the Cobblers.
Attacking midfielder McAtee said: “It’s a long way to come for my family.
“My brother played and scored on Tuesday night as well — and they went to go and watch him.
“It’s something I’ve dreamt of for my whole life. I cant explain it but I’m over the moon. It’s one of the better days of my life.
McAtee is known as the Salford Silva as his style of playing in the pocket is similar to that of Etihad legend David.
Compliments do not come much bigger than that in this part of Manchester — and Pep Guardiola has thought highly of him for some time.
When he spent two loan spells at Sheffield United from July 2022 to this summer, there must have been doubts he would ever make the grade for his boyhood club.
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But the City boss has full faith in him — maybe more than the player himself.
Guardiola said: “I always had the feeling that I believe he can play here more than he does. Hopefully minutes can help him and show he is part of that.
“Of course, he will not be a regular player this season but in a lot of games he will help us and when he plays like he did here, I can always count on him perfectly.
“Everyone adores him, you have seen the reaction of the players, everyone loves him.”
City turned down offers of more than £30million in the summer as Guardiola wanted him to be part of his first-team squad and he featured in their pre-season tour of the US.
McAtee said he would be fine to have a season where he never played as he was convinced being around one of the greatest bosses ever would help him develop.
So far he is getting chances, like in the season-opening Charity Shield and the League Cup tie against Watford last month.
And he said: “I definitely think I’m sharper. Last year I was playing a bit wider, now I’m more central.
“I’m getting to grips with that. I feel better now than I did two months ago. When I’m going out there now it’s not as chaotic.
“For example, against Watford I hadn’t played for a while and it was a bit chaotic at the start. But today I felt a lot calmer and more composed.
“Basically the manager is telling me to go and have fun. A bit more tactical but go and be myself and feel good about myself.
“With the way they set up I think I needed a bit of freedom to come and get the ball. It was so tight in there, lots of teams have done it already this year.
“He gives me freedom when coming on to try to affect the game as much as I can.”
City have had to rethink their midfield plans for the season following the serious knee injury suffered by Rodri – and that could lead to more opportunities for McAtee.
The Spaniard is out for the rest of the season following ACL surgery with Ilkay Gundogan, 33, another option Guardiola can turn to in the middle of the pitch.
McAtee added: “Rodri’s a different position to me. It was bad news when we heard and it got the lads down a little bit.
“Gundo can maybe drop a bit deeper and I’m just being patient, waiting for my chance and grabbing it when I do get it.”