Man City XI vs Villarreal: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest for Champions League

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·20. Oktober 2025

Man City XI vs Villarreal: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest for Champions League

City out to right wrongs of matchday two

Manchester City take on Villarreal on matchday three of the Champions League league phase.

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Pep Guardiola’s side are looking to get back to winning ways on the continent after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Monaco last time out.

That followed an opening 2-0 win over Napoli at the Etihad Stadium on matchday one.

Now, in their trip to the Estadio de la Ceramica, Rayan Cherki could make his first appearance in Europe for his new side since his £30million move from Lyon in the summer.

The Frenchman has had an injury-hit start to his City career, but is back fit, impressing his manager in the meantime.

“He is one of the most talented players I have ever seen,” Guardiola said of the attacking midfielder. High praise indeed.

There was not much by way of rotation from Guardiola for City’s 2-0 win over Everton at the weekend, with Erling Haaland notching a brace and playing the full 90 minutes.

Gianluigi Donnarumma has made a flying start to life at his new club, and he should continue between the sticks here.

Matheus Nunes was given the nod against the Toffees on Saturday, although John Stones was fielded at right-back at Monaco the last time City played in Europe.

Rico Lewis replaced Nico O’Reilly, who seems to have made himself City’s first-choice left-back at the moment, in the dying embers against Everton, while Josko Gvardiol was an unused substitute.

Nathan Ake made only his third start of the campaign when he lined up alongside Ruben Dias at the weekend, but expect him to drop out in favour of either Stones or Gvardiol, with Abudokodir Khusanov still out with an ankle injury.

Rodri remains sidelined with a hamstring problem, while this game could come too soon for Rayan Ait-Nouri, who remains on the comeback trail from his own ankle issue.

In the engine room, it could be either Nico or Mateo Kovacic as the holder, although it is very likely to be Phil Foden and Tijjani Reijnders as the free eights ahead of the lone sitter.

Out wide, Jeremy Doku looks to have cemented his place on the left, while Savinho played against Everton off the right.

He could be replaced by Bernardo Silva, or Cherki, should Foden be shifted out wide.

The central-striking berth isn’t even a debate, although Omar Marmoush is back in the first-team fold, making the bench against Everton.

Predicted Man City XI (4-1-4-1): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Kovacic; Silva, Reijnders, Foden, Doku; Haaland

Injured: Ait-Nouri, Khusanov, Rodri

Venue: Estadio de la Ceramica, Villarreal

TV: TNT Sports 1, 8pm BST kick off