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 a notable moment for Enzo Maresca as he leads the team in this competition for the first time after taking over from Pep Guardiola.
Both teams come into the match undefeated in their domestic leagues. This fixture is their fifth competitive encounter, with neither side having lost to the other before. Porto return to the Champions League group stage following their Primeira Liga triumph last season, currently riding a seven-game winning streak across all contests.
In contrast, City arrive after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Coventry City, where their record signing Enzo Fernandez was introduced earlier than expected due to an injury to Nico O Reilly. City have won all three Premier League games so far but have struggled more in away 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 sidelined due to a one-match suspension after his red card in last season's Europa League quarter-final against Nottingham Forest. Nehuen Perez is expected to start alongside Jakub Kiwior in central defense. Victor Froholdt remains out after a head injury sustained during the recent win over Moreirense. Additional absences include Vasco Sousa, Oskar Pietuszewski, Gabriel Mec, Zaidu Sanusi, and Samu Aghehowa. Goalkeeper Diogo Costa will continue his role behind a defense that has conceded only once in six games this season.
Nico O Reilly’s participation is uncertain after a back injury suffered in the warm-up against Coventry. Jeremy Doku is unavailable with a calf issue. Iliman Ndiaye left his debut match early due to cramp but should be fit. With a derby against Manchester United looming, Maresca may rotate the squad, possibly recalling Phil Foden and Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Recent Form
Under Francesco Farioli, Porto have maintained a flawless record of seven wins this season across competitions, scoring 12 goals and allowing just one. Their winning streak in the Primeira Liga includes victories over Alverca, Rio Ave, Arouca, Viseu, and Moreirense. Despite this confidence, Porto have yet to defeat City in competitive play, having lost three times and drawn once in four meetings.
Enzo Maresca's men have started strongly with maximum points against Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, and Coventry. Erling Haaland’s recent goal marked his 300th career strike and placed him ahead of Sergio Aguero as City's top scorer. Gianluigi Donnarumma kept the team's first clean sheet of the season versus Coventry. City's recent Champions League away form shows inconsistency, with only two wins in their last nine European road games.
Expected Lineups
- Porto (4-3-3): Diogo Costa; A. Costa, Perez, 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 game will be shown live in the UK on Amazon Prime Video. Radio listeners can tune in via BBC Radio 5 Live for commentary.
