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Manchester City start their Champions League title defence at home to Red Star Belgrade this evening. Pep Guardiola’s side have won all five of the Premier League matches this season and are in terrific form ahead of this European top-flight opener.
Last season, they finally lifted the trophy they most coveted, the Champions League, following a 1-0 win over Inter Milan in the final and now they will be hoping to emulate Real Madrid by regaining it in consecutive seasons. They also became only the second English club to win the treble and it remains to be seen if anyone can stop them repeating that feat this time around.
Red Star Belgrade are currently third in the Serbian SuperLiga but should pose no real threat to Guardiola’s men who will want to lay down a statement victory tonight.
Follow all the action from this Champions League clash at the Etihad Stadium. Plus you can get all the latest football betting sites offers here.
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Team news!
Manchester City hand a first start to Matheus Nunes for their Champions League opener against Red Star. Sergio Gomez and Nathan Ake also come into the team that defeated West Ham 3-1 on Saturday, while Manuel Akanji, Josko Gvardiol and Jeremy Doku drop out.
Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Ake, Gomez, Rodri, Bernardo, Nunes, Foden, Alvarez, Haaland
Subs: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Phillips, Doku, Gvardiol, Akanji, Bobb, Lewis
Kyle Walker staying at City
As part of his media duties in the build-up to tonight’s match, Kyle Walker explained his decision to stay at Manchester City and sign another contract extension.
“Why should I want to leave this great team?” said Walker when asked why he decided to stay at City, “For me it was just about the years [on the contract].
“I’m 33 years young and I still feel great. For me it was about settling in, I didn’t really want to sign another year to then have this conversation again next year. I wanted to be settled not just for me but for my family as well.
“I feel that now I am settled, you see in the performances that I don’t have it in the back of my mind because it does play on your mind where you know you’ve got a little bit of uncertainty.
“I want to stay at this Club for as long as possible because why would I leave a team that’s gone on and won three Premier Leagues in a row, a Treble and a Champions League?
“If I’d have left in the summer I don’t go and score the winning penalty at the Super Cup and lift that. It’s working out so far but it’s early days.
“Nothing’s decided at this moment in time in the Premier League or any other competition and we need to make sure that, as we are nine times out of 10, there into the later stages.”
Who are TNT Sports’ Champions League presenters, commentators and pundits?
TNT Sports’ football coverage will be led by four female presenters this season as it seeks to “push the boundaries” of sports broadcasting.
TNT Sports is the new name for the channel formerly known as BT Sport, with Laura Woods confirmed as host of its Champions League coverage alongside Reshmin Chowdhury. Jake Humphrey, who fronted BT’s Champions League coverage last season, stepped back from his role in May.
Lynsey Hipgrave will continue to host live Premier League coverage on TNT Sports, having done so since the start of last season, while Jules Breach has replaced Des Kelly as the broadcaster’s pitchside reporter.
Who are TNT Sports’ Champions League presenters, commentators and pundits?
TNT Sports has replaced BT Sport and will be the home of Champions League football in the UK this season
Man City vs Red Star Belgrade
Red Star won last season’s Serbian title without losing a game, but they changed managers this summer and have lost two of their last three games under Barak Bakhar.
Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland begin new Champions League rivarly after Messi-Ronaldo era
As Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup in Doha, Kylian Mbappe was “livid”. It of course wasn’t because of his former team-mate’s success. It was that Mbappe had missed his only chance to emulate Pele and win two World Cup finals by the age of 23. The Paris Saint-Germain star is said to be more aware of his legacy than perhaps any previous major player in history – certainly much more than Erling Haaland.
It is why he is now so singularly focused on the Champions League. That’s why he ultimately wants to go to Real Madrid. Watching Haaland lift it in June will have only added to that, all the more so because the Manchester City forward clearly doesn’t care quite as much. That isn’t to say he didn’t greatly want it, of course, but it’s one growing difference with Mbappe.
The Norwegian said only last week he didn’t care for that projected rivalry, either, and that might well be true. Those differences between Haaland and Mbappe will still define the next decade of football in the same way those between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo did the last decade.
Mbappe and Haaland begin new Champions League rivarly after Messi-Ronaldo era
In the first Champions League in a generation without either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, Haaland and Mbappe can fill the void as the clear new stars of the current game
Guardiola on winning the first Champions League game
Manchester City tend to come flying out of the blocks in the Champions League group stages as Pep Guardiola looks to win enough games to qualify for the knockout rounds as soon as possible. The City boss says this year will be no different.
“Every season we start the competition in the first game with the target to win the first game, then the group stage, then try to win the Champions League,” said Guardiola on Monday.
“Nothing changes from before.
“The same for Red Star tomorrow [Tuesday]. It depends on our performance and our level. We’re incredibly happy to defend this crown but this competition doesn’t allow you mistakes.
“But always we were so strong at home, nine points from nine. When that happens you can win just one game away and you qualify. Tomorrow is the first step.”
Injuries plaguing Pep
Manchester City will be without John Stones, Jack Grealish, Mateo Kovacic and Kevin De Bruyne when they open their Champions League defence against Red Star Belgrade tonight.
All four are injured with defender Stones not playing since the Community Shield, midfielder Grealish suffering a knock before the international break. Kovacic was then injured while on Croatia duty and De Bruyne is out long term.
Can City cope without them?
Champions League 2023/24: Schedule, groups, fixtures and match dates
Newcastle United face a brutally tough draw on their return to the Champions League after being dropped in group F with Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan.
Manchester United are up against Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich in group A along with Turkish champions Galatasaray, and new striker Rasmus Hojlund will also face his old side Copenhagen.
Arsenal will play Europa League champions Sevilla as well as PSV Eindhoven and Lens, while holders Manchester City will take on RB Leipzig, Young Boys and Red Star Belgrade.
UEFA Champions League 2023/24 schedule – every game in the group stage
Holders Manchester City are joined by Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle and Celtic in the group stage of the Champions League
Man City vs Red Star Belgrade prediction
Red Star can be difficult opponents in the Champions League, but usually only at their home ground and they are likely to struggle to impose themselves against City.
They will try to utilise a vocal travelling support, but will be unable to stop the home side.
Man City 3-0 Red Star Belgrade
What is the team news?
Guardiola said after his side’s win at West Ham at the weekend that he would be forced to make changes to his line-up in the upcoming weeks to protect players, something which could come as soon as Tuesday.
City are due to play four matches in just 11 days, a tough ask for any team, especially considering that comes off the back of an international break that saw many members of the team travel as far as South America.
They will continue to be without the injured Kevin De Bruyne, while the match could also come too soon for John Stones, Jack Grealish and Mateo Kovacic.
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