Manchester City v Napoli – Line-ups, stats and preview
Match Preview for Manchester City v Napoli
Kevin De Bruyne will return to familiar surroundings this week as his new club Napoli head to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City in their opening Champions League League Phase clash on Thursday night.
It’s the first European meeting between the sides since the 2017-18 group stage, when City triumphed home and away, winning 6-3 on aggregate – including a 2-1 success in Manchester.
City head into the tie on the back of a statement 3-0 derby win against Manchester United. After consecutive defeats to Tottenham and Brighton, Pep Guardiola’s men bounced back with Phil Foden opening the scoring and Erling Haaland netting twice to seal the points on an emotional afternoon dedicated to late club icon Ricky Hatton.
Guardiola hopes that victory will spark a turnaround following a sluggish start to the campaign. City, 2023 Champions League winners, endured a poor League Phase last season, finishing just 22nd in the 36-team table before exiting in the knockout play-off against Real Madrid.
They’ve lost four of their last five UCL outings, but remain formidable at the Etihad – unbeaten in 21 League Phase or group matches (W18 D3).
Their record on opening matchdays is also strong, with five wins and one draw from their last six.
Napoli, meanwhile, are brimming with confidence. Antonio Conte’s side claimed their second Serie A crown in three years last term, and they’ve begun 2025-26 with three straight league wins over Cagliari, Sassuolo and Fiorentina.
New recruits have hit the ground running – Rasmus Hojlund scored on debut against Fiorentina after Kevin De Bruyne converted an early penalty.
This season marks Napoli’s ninth campaign in the Champions League. Conte is managing in the competition with a fifth different club after previous stints at Juventus, Chelsea, Inter and Tottenham.
Napoli have lost just three of their last 18 League Phase/group stage games (W11 D4). However, their away record against English teams is dismal: D3 L9 across 12 visits, including defeats to six different clubs.
Team news for Manchester City v Napoli
City have several absentees: Omar Marmoush (knee), Rayan Cherki (undisclosed), Rayan Ait-Nouri (ankle) and Mateo Kovacic (Achilles) are sidelined, while John Stones faces a late fitness test after a muscle issue.
Guardiola may rotate, with Rico Lewis, Nathan Ake, Nico Gonzalez, Oscar Bobb and Savinho all pushing for starts.
Haaland is certain to feature, chasing his 50th Champions League goal. The Norwegian has scored 49 in 48 appearances – with Ruud van Nistelrooy’s 62 games the current record pace to that landmark.
For Napoli, De Bruyne is set for an emotional reunion with his former club after a decade in Manchester. The Belgian midfielder has already netted twice this season. However, Romelu Lukaku (knee) has been excluded from the squad, while Amir Rrahmani (hamstring), Nikita Contini (hand) and Alex Meret (muscle) are also missing.
Hojlund will compete with Lorenzo Lucca for the central striker role. Midfield is likely to feature Scott McTominay, Serie A’s Player of the Year in 2024-25, while Billy Gilmour may have to settle for the bench.
Expected line-ups for Manchester City v Napoli
Manchester City: Donnarumma; Lewis, Dias, Gvardiol, Ake; Rodri, Gonzalez; Savinho, Foden, Doku; Haaland
Napoli: Milinkovic-Savic; Di Lorenzo, Beukema, Buongiorno, Spinazzola; Lobotka; Politano, Anguissa, De Bruyne, McTominay; Hojlund
