Manchester City prepares to host Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday in a crucial Champions League League Phase encounter. Both teams are currently level on seven points, making this a pivotal match in their quest to secure a direct route to the knockout rounds.
Man City Team News
Pep Guardiola's squad is almost at full strength, receiving a significant boost with the availability of key players. 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri and prolific striker Erling Haaland are both fit and ready to play, having featured in the weekend's victory over Bournemouth. Midfielder Mateo Kovačić remains the only confirmed absentee as he recovers from a long-term ankle injury. Guardiola is also mindful that Bernardo Silva is one yellow card away from a one-match suspension in the competition. Several alterations from the team that beat Bournemouth are expected, with potential inclusions for John Stones, Rayan Aït-Nouri and Tijjani Reijnders.
Borussia Dortmund Team News
Dortmund, coached by Niko Kovač, faces a few injury concerns. Emre Can is set to miss the match, but there is optimism that central defenders Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Sule will be available. Julian Brandt did not travel with the squad. Serhou Guirassy, who scored the winner against Augsburg, is expected to lead the attack. Goalkeeper Patrick Drewes and defensive midfielder Salih Ozcan are ineligible.
Haaland's Return
The spotlight is firmly on Erling Haaland as he faces his former club. During his time at Dortmund, the Norwegian striker scored an impressive 86 goals in 89 games. Haaland has continued his prolific form for Man City, scoring in every Champions League game this season. He warmed up for this match with a brace against Bournemouth, bringing his league goal tally to 13 in 10 appearances. Haaland has already scored against Dortmund in a 2-1 victory back in 2022. If Haaland scores against Dortmund, he will become the first player to score in five consecutive Champions League appearances for three different teams.
Match Dynamics
Manchester City is currently ninth in the Champions League table, while Borussia Dortmund is eighth, with goal difference separating the two sides. Man City has a strong home record against German teams, winning their last 11 matches at the Etihad. They have also never lost at home to Dortmund. However, Dortmund has been in impressive attacking form in the Champions League, scoring at least four goals in each of their three matches. Dortmund has scored in every away game this European campaign and has found the net on all three of their previous visits to the Etihad, though they lost the last two by a narrow 2-1 margin.
Quotes
Pep Guardiola praised Haaland, describing him as "world-class and incredibly humble". Niko Kovač stated, "We respect City's level but will not change our identity. Compact defense and countering through Adeyemi's pace can hurt them".
The match is scheduled to kick off at 8:00 pm GMT at the Etihad Stadium.
