Manchester City welcome Borussia Dortmund to the Etihad Stadium in a highly anticipated Champions League league-phase clash, with both sides level on seven points after three matches. Dortmund currently sit just above City in the standings due to a slightly superior goal difference, adding extra weight to this encounter.
City have made a solid start to their European campaign, earning wins over Napoli and Villarreal along with a draw against Monaco. While Pep Guardiola’s side have been defensively assured, their six goals in three games make them the lowest scorers among the top teams in the league phase. However, momentum appears to be building again following back-to-back 3-1 Premier League victories.
Erling Haaland remains central to City’s attacking threat and faces his former club once again. The Norwegian has been in strong scoring form and will look to add to his tally against Dortmund, a side City have never lost to at home.
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Dortmund, meanwhile, have been one of the most dangerous attacking teams in the Champions League so far. Niko Kovač’s squad have scored four goals in each of their three European fixtures, including a 4-4 thriller against Juventus and a dominant 4-1 win over Athletic Bilbao. Their forward line, featuring Jobe Bellingham, Felix Nmecha and Serhou Guirassy, has caused problems for every defence they’ve faced.
However, Dortmund’s domestic form has been less free-flowing, with narrow, low-scoring wins suggesting inconsistency in finishing outside of Europe. Historically, they have scored in each of their previous visits to the Etihad, but the last two trips both ended in narrow 2-1 defeats.
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Head-to-Head
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Probable Line-ups
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma; Nunes, Stones, Dias, Aït-Nouri; Gonzalez; Savinho, Reijnders, Foden, Doku; Haaland.
Borussia Dortmund (3-4-3): Kobel; Schlotterbeck, Anton, Bensebaini; Couto, Nmecha, Bellingham, Svensson; Adeyemi, Beier; Guirassy.
Prediction
Manchester City’s home strength, defensive control, and Haaland’s scoring form could edge what promises to be an open contest. Dortmund’s attacking fluency cannot be ignored, but City’s stability and history at the Etihad give them the advantage.
Prediction: Manchester City 2–1 Borussia Dortmund
