Our number 18 joined the Club in July 2022 with a wealth of Bundesliga experience having missed just one league match in the previous two campaigns for Arminia Bielefeld prior to the move.
Challenging for regular first team minutes with Ederson, Scott Carson and, before his loan move to Middlesbrough, Zack Steffen was therefore a new challenge for the 30-year-old.
However, his determination to not just get the best out of himself but also those around him was evident from the moment he sat down for his first interview as a City player.
“I’m ambitious to show my best performances and push my team-mates to be their best,” he explained to City Studios after sealing the move to the Etihad Stadium.
“I’m looking forward to working with the team, the coaches and the goalkeepers.
“On the pitch I want to win every game. I want to reach the top… but I don’t think I’m at my highest level yet.”
Ortega Moreno was under no illusions that he’d have to work hard for a regular starting berth but, having featured in every competition for the Club this season, the goalkeeper can look back on his first campaign in English football with plenty of pride.
The German was a regular starter for City in both domestic cup competitions, featuring in all six of our FA Cup matches as we claimed the trophy for the first time since 2019.
Our number 18 more than proved his worth en route to glory, with a particularly assured performance in the 1-0 fourth round win over Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium, where he showed excellent reflexes to deny both Takehiro Tomiyasu and Leandro Trossard.
It had been a similar story in the Carabao Cup third round two months earlier when Ortega Moreno made a string of outstanding saves to keep Chelsea at bay in a 2-0 win.
On his domestic debut for the Club, the German needed to be at his best to prevent both Christian Pulisic or Lewis Hall in particular to preserve his clean sheet, the latter a remarkable one-handed save from point-blank range.
The 30-year-old had to show a different side to his repertoire in the FA Cup final, diving bravely at the feet of Raphael Varane as the Manchester United shaped to tap home a late equaliser at Wembley Stadium.
Ortega Moreno anticipated the danger to make a crucial block with his feet, before tipping the resultant scramble over the bar to preserve the victory.
Despite having little to do during the match, the 30-year-old had stepped up to the plate when it mattered. It’s been a common theme whenever he’s been given the nod by Pep Guardiola.
Indeed, Ortega Moreno kept nine clean sheets across his 14 appearances for the Club in 2022/23, an impressive rate of just under 66%.
The stopper more than played his part in our march to a historic Treble. He’ll be hoping to maintain his own performance levels, and those of the team around him, in the seasons to come.
