Manchester City is set to host Czech Republic club Sparta Prague at the Etihad Stadium as the UEFA Champions League enters its third match week for the 2024/25 season.
City has recently returned to form, collecting maximum points from their last three matches in all competitions and maintaining an unbeaten start to the season. While their performances may not yet match the dazzling displays that fans have come to expect under Pep Guardiola, the team’s grit, determination, and fighting spirit have certainly been commendable.
In previous Champions League action, City demonstrated their dominance with a resounding 4-0 victory over Slovan Bratislava in Slovakia. Following that, they secured narrow wins in the Premier League against Fulham and Wolves, with scores of 3-2 and 2-1, respectively.
Despite the positive results, there are concerns about the team’s defensive performance in recent matches, particularly with the absence of key midfielder Rodri. His influence in the center of the park has been sorely missed, and adapting to his absence will be crucial for City if they hope to achieve their ambitions this season. Guardiola will undoubtedly expect his players to rise to the challenge.
Young defender Joško Gvardiol has been a standout performer in recent weeks, showcasing his ability to impact the game on both ends of the pitch. He equalized for City against Wolves with a stunning strike from the edge of the penalty area, further solidifying his reputation as a top defender who is destined for greatness. His impressive display earned him the man-of-the-match honors in the recent clash.
Even with Gvardiol’s strong performance, Wolves managed to stifle City’s attacking talents for most of the match. Gary O’Neil’s side initially took the lead with a goal from new signing Jørgen Strand Larsen, who finished easily after being set up by Nelson Semedo. The match seemed to be heading for a draw until John Stones, who also scored a late winner against Arsenal, struck again. Although there were concerns about Bernardo Silva’s positioning leading up to the goal, VAR confirmed the decision, allowing City to claim all three points.
Sparta Prague arrives at the Etihad following a hard-fought home victory against Liberec, where they initially took the lead through Tomáš Wiesner. After conceding an equalizer, they managed to secure the win with a goal in the 79th minute.
As City aims to secure seven points from a possible nine in the Champions League, here’s everything you need to know ahead of the showdown at the Etihad Stadium!
Match Details
- Fixture: Manchester City vs. Sparta Prague
- Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2024
- Kick-off: 20:00 BST
Match Officials
The game will be officiated by an all-Italian crew, with 42-year-old Maurizio Mariani serving as the referee.
Team News
In his pre-match press conference, Pep Guardiola revealed that Kyle Walker is dealing with a knee injury sustained during the international break, ruling him out of Wednesday’s match. There was some hope regarding Kevin De Bruyne’s potential return, but Guardiola confirmed the Belgian midfielder is still not fit enough to play.
Nathan Aké has returned to the squad following his injury but may not see minutes against Sparta Prague. Meanwhile, Jacob Wright is back in contention after returning to training, although there were concerns about Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish’s fitness during the final training session.
Sparta Prague will be without Imanol García, who is still recovering from a knee injury, and defender Elias Cobbaut, who is sidelined due to illness.
Head-to-Head
This will mark the first-ever meeting between Manchester City and Sparta Prague in any competitive match.
Statistics
While this is a debut encounter for City against Sparta Prague, they have previously faced Czech teams, most notably Viktoria Plzen, in the 2013/14 Champions League, where City won both home and away.
Historically, Sparta Prague has faced English teams on nine occasions, winning only four of those matches. Their most recent encounter with an English club was against Liverpool in last season’s UEFA Europa League, where they lost 11-2 on aggregate.
Currently, Manchester City boasts an impressive unbeaten streak of 32 matches at the Etihad in the Champions League, with 28 wins and four draws. They are now one of only four teams to achieve such a record, joining the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Real Madrid.
Sparta Prague is also on a short unbeaten run in the Champions League, with one win and two draws in their last three matches. They aim to extend that streak, seeking their first four-match unbeaten run since 2001.
How to Watch
Fans in the United Kingdom can catch the match live on TNT Sports 2, starting at 20:00 BST. In the United States, the game will be broadcast on Paramount+.
For global viewing options, complete TV listings can be found HERE.
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