Manchester City begin their 2026-27 Champions League campaign at Porto on Tuesday, the first night of the new league phase and a landmark occasion for Enzo Maresca, who takes charge of a Champions League match for City for the first time since succeeding Pep Guardiola.
Both sides arrive with perfect domestic records, setting up the fifth competitive meeting between two clubs who have never previously finished on the losing side against each other. Porto return to the Champions League proper for the first time since 2023-24 having reclaimed the Primeira Liga ****** le last season, and they arrive full of confidence after seven straight wins in all competitions.
City, by contrast, head to Portugal having laboured to a narrow 1-0 win over Coventry City at the weekend, a game in which club-record £125m signing Enzo Fernandez was thrust into the starting XI earlier than planned following an injury to Nico O'Reilly. Maresca's side have won all three Premier League matches so far this season, though their away form in Europe has been notably shakier than their home record.
Date: Tuesday, 8 September 2026Kick-off: 20:00 BSTVenue: Estádio do Dragão, PortoReferee: Szymon Marciniak (POL)Last meeting: Porto 0-0 Manchester City, 1 December 2020, Champions League (Group Stage)
Jan Bednarek serves a one-match ban having been sent off in last season's Europa League quarter-final defeat to Nottingham Forest, meaning Nehuen Perez is set to partner Jakub Kiwior in central defence. Victor Froholdt, who was knocked unconscious and hospitalised during last weekend's win over Moreirense, remains sidelined along with Vasco Sousa, Oskar Pietuszewski, Gabriel Mec, Zaidu Sanusi and Samu Aghehowa. Diogo Costa continues in goal behind a defence that has conceded only once in six matches this season.
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Both sides arrive with perfect domestic records, setting up the fifth competitive meeting between two clubs who have never previously finished on the losing side against each other. Porto return to the Champions League proper for the first time since 2023-24 having reclaimed the Primeira Liga ****** le last season, and they arrive full of confidence after seven straight wins in all competitions.
City, by contrast, head to Portugal having laboured to a narrow 1-0 win over Coventry City at the weekend, a game in which club-record £125m signing Enzo Fernandez was thrust into the starting XI earlier than planned following an injury to Nico O'Reilly. Maresca's side have won all three Premier League matches so far this season, though their away form in Europe has been notably shakier than their home record.
Date: Tuesday, 8 September 2026Kick-off: 20:00 BSTVenue: Estádio do Dragão, PortoReferee: Szymon Marciniak (POL)Last meeting: Porto 0-0 Manchester City, 1 December 2020, Champions League (Group Stage)
Jan Bednarek serves a one-match ban having been sent off in last season's Europa League quarter-final defeat to Nottingham Forest, meaning Nehuen Perez is set to partner Jakub Kiwior in central defence. Victor Froholdt, who was knocked unconscious and hospitalised during last weekend's win over Moreirense, remains sidelined along with Vasco Sousa, Oskar Pietuszewski, Gabriel Mec, Zaidu Sanusi and Samu Aghehowa. Diogo Costa continues in goal behind a defence that has conceded only once in six matches this season.
#champions
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