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Maresca's City Faces Porto in Champions League opener
8 Sep
Summary
- Man City begins their 2026-27 Champions League campaign against Porto.
- Erling Haaland is closing in on Sergio Agüero's Champions League goal record.
- Porto manager Francesco Farioli makes his Champions League managerial debut.
Enzo Maresca will oversee his first Champions League match as Manchester City begins its 2026-27 European journey away at Porto on Tuesday. The Cityzens, who won the competition in 2023, are looking to rebound after three consecutive eliminations by Real Madrid.
City has undergone a swift summer rebuild and continues to rely on the prolific scoring of Erling Haaland, who recently maintained their perfect Premier League start. Porto, under the guidance of young Italian coach Francesco Farioli, has also started their domestic league season strongly, winning their first five games.
Historically, Porto has struggled against English opposition, with ten losses in their last sixteen encounters. Manchester City, conversely, has a strong record in opening Champions League fixtures, having avoided defeat in their first match in six of the previous seven seasons.
Erling Haaland is on the verge of breaking Sergio Agüero's Champions League goal record, currently sitting at 34 goals in 39 appearances. The match is also notable for Francesco Farioli's managerial debut in the Champions League, seeking to impress on the European stage.
Porto faces challenges with several players sidelined due to suspension and injury, including Jan Bednarek and Victor Froholdt. Manchester City will be without Jérémy Doku and potentially Nico O'Reilly due to injuries sustained recently.
