Preview: Haaland faces his former club as Manchester City host Dortmund | OneFootball

Man City host Dortmund at the Etihad as they look to extend their good form and move up the Champions League group-stage standings against the German side.

Both teams head into the Etihad showdown level on seven points, setting up a finely balanced encounter in Manchester.

Pep Guardiola’s side have plenty of work to do domestically if they’re to catch Arsenal, who currently sit six points clear at the top of the Premier League. In Europe, however, City have looked far more assured, cruising through the Champions League so far.

The Sky Blues have taken seven points from their opening three games – two wins against Napoli and Villarreal, and a thrilling draw with Monaco. The 2022–23 Champions League winners currently occupy seventh place in the league phase and will be eager to secure direct qualification for the last 16 after last year’s disappointment.

City come into Wednesday’s clash on the back of consecutive 3–1 victories over Swansea and Bournemouth. They’ve also won each of their last eleven home matches against German opposition and remain unbeaten against Dortmund at the Etihad. Guardiola has just one absentee in Mateo Kovačić, but will be boosted by the return of Rodri to the bench.

All eyes will, of course, be on Erling Haaland as he faces his former club – the one for which he scored 86 goals. The Norwegian has already netted 17 times this season, including five in the Champions League, and will look to extend that tally against his old side.

Dortmund, meanwhile, will be buoyed by the return of Nico Schlotterbeck from injury, a key addition as they attempt to contain City’s attacking threat. However, they’ll be without captain Julian Brandt and defender Niklas Süle, both sidelined through injury.

Like City, Borussia have collected seven points from their first three group games and sit just behind them in the standings, separated only by goal difference. Going forward, they’ve been in scintillating form – scoring four goals in each of their Champions League matches so far, the first time in the club’s history they’ve achieved such a feat. Only holders PSG have scored more by matchday three.

Die Schwarzgelben have lost just once in all competitions this season and arrive in Manchester fresh from a narrow 1–0 win over Augsburg. They currently sit third in the Bundesliga and recently advanced in the DFB-Pokal after a penalty shootout victory against Eintracht Frankfurt.

In Europe, the 2023–24 finalists are aiming to match last year’s top-eight finish and avenge their 2–1 defeat to City in their most recent Etihad meeting.

The match kicks off at 20:00 (BST) and will be shown live on TNT Sports in the UK.