Porto vs Manchester City: Champions League Opener and Team Updates
Manchester City kick off their 2026-27 Champions League journey at Porto on Tuesday, marking the start of the new league phase. This match is a special moment for Enzo Maresca, who will manage his first Champions League game for City after taking over from Pep Guardiola.
Both clubs arrive unbeaten in their domestic leagues, setting up the fifth official encounter between two sides that have yet to lose against each other. Porto return to the Champions League group stage after missing out since 2023-24, having reclaimed the Primeira Liga title last season. They come into this fixture with confidence, riding a seven-game winning streak across all competitions.
Manchester City, on the other hand, struggled slightly with a narrow 1-0 victory over Coventry City in the Premier League. Their record signing, Enzo Fernandez, valued at £125m, was unexpectedly started early due to an injury to Nico O'Reilly. City remain perfect in the league with three wins but have shown less consistency away in European matches compared to their home performances.
Match Details
- Date: Tuesday, 8 September 2026
- Kick-off: 20:00 BST
- Venue: Estádio do Dragão, Porto
- Referee: Szymon Marciniak (POL)
- Last Meeting: Porto 0-0 Manchester City, 1 December 2020, Champions League Group Stage
Team News
Jan Bednarek is suspended after a red card in last season's Europa League quarter-final defeat to Nottingham Forest. Nehuen Perez is expected to partner Jakub Kiwior in central defence. Victor Froholdt remains out after a concussion suffered during last weekend’s win versus Moreirense. Vasco Sousa, Oskar Pietuszewski, Gabriel Mec, Zaidu Sanusi, and Samu Aghehowa are also sidelined. Diogo Costa continues as goalkeeper behind a defence that has conceded just one goal in six games this season.
Nico O'Reilly’s status is uncertain following a back injury sustained before the Coventry match, and Jeremy Doku remains out with a calf problem. Iliman Ndiaye, who left his debut game early with cramp, is likely fit. With a Manchester derby looming, Maresca might rotate the squad, possibly bringing in Phil Foden and Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Current Form
Under Francesco Farioli, Porto have won every one of their seven games this season across two competitions, scoring 12 goals and conceding only once. Their Primeira Liga victories came against Alverca, Rio Ave, Arouca, Viseu, and Moreirense. Despite their streak, facing Manchester City is a much tougher challenge. Porto have never beaten City competitively, suffering three losses and one draw in four meetings.
City have made a flawless start under Maresca with wins over Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, and Coventry City. Erling Haaland’s goal against Coventry marked his 300th career strike and put him ahead of Sergio Aguero as City's top scorer. Gianluigi Donnarumma secured the team’s first clean sheet of the season. Their recent Champions League away form has been patchy, with just two wins in the last nine trips.
Predicted Lineups
- Porto (4-3-3): Diogo Costa; A. Costa, Nehuen Perez, Jakub Kiwior, Moura; Fofana, Rosario, Veiga; Gomes, Silva, Pepe
- Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma; Nunes, Guehi, Dias, Ait-Nouri; Anderson, Bouaddi; Semenyo, Cherki, Foden; Haaland
Broadcast Information
The match will be shown live in the UK on Amazon Prime Video. Radio commentary can be heard on BBC Radio 5 Live.
