FC Porto host Manchester City on Champions League return | OneFootball

FC Porto

Diogo Costa stepped up as the spokesperson for a group of players “prepared to face a strong opponent with great humility,” on a stage where “All players want to play on these stages” and where Porto’s players “had already been missing the Champions League.” The goalkeeper expects “a very competitive game,” in which he intends to “show FC Porto’s DNA,” stressing that “the affection of Porto’s supporters gives even more motivation” and the need to “have the necessary calm to do the job properly,” since “playing in the Champions League means always being alert.”

In the press room at the CTFD Jorge Costa, Francesco Farioli recalled that “FC Porto’s history in the Champions League is enormous” and described Manchester City as “one of the main contenders for the title.” The coach believes that “something special can always happen at the Dragão” and assured that the team will “give everything to make the fans happy.”

“This is an opportunity for the group to prove its worth at the highest level,” the coach continued, with the “goal of delivering a great performance.” Farioli is convinced that “the Porto family will play an important role in creating the right atmosphere.” The coach also stressed that “All games are prepared with the same attention to detail” and that “the key to this one will be the ability to follow the plan” against “one of the best teams in the world, which invested 527 million in the last transfer window.”

“We will take to the pitch with a great desire to make life difficult for Manchester City,” said the coach, describing a group “with a lot of respect and humility, but also with a lot of ambition and desire.” The physical demands of the match will be high, but Farioli also sees a positive side: “The bad thing is that we will have to run a lot. The good thing is that we have the legs and lungs for it.”

Samu is one of the positive notes. The Spanish international striker has already completed integrated training with restrictions and took another step in the recovery process from the injury that has kept him off the pitch since February. Zaidu, Vasco Sousa, André Miranda and Oskar Pietuszewski remain on the injury list, while Victor Froholdt continues the post-concussion protocol. Jan Bednarek, sent off in the last European match in Nottingham, will also miss the game through suspension.

Manchester City

After winning the Club World Cup and the Conference League with Chelsea, Enzo Maresca took over as Manchester City head coach, succeeding Pep Guardiola. The English club was the biggest spender in the last summer transfer window, with an outlay of more than 500 million euros.

Enzo Fernández, for 145 million euros, Elliot Anderson, for 135, Ayyoub Bouaddi, for 95, and Iliman Ndiaye, for 70, were the main signings for the second most valuable squad in the world. According to TransferMarkt, Manchester City’s squad is valued at 1.43 billion euros, approximately three times the value of FC Porto’s, and includes Erling Haaland, the most valuable player on the planet, valued at 220 million euros.

Although they lost the English Super Cup to champions Arsenal, 0-3, the “Cityzens” won their first three Premier League matches: Bournemouth, 2-1, Crystal Palace, 1-4, and Coventry City, 1-0. The team tops the table, level on points with the champions.

Manchester City have the best average possession, with 72%, and touches, with 2,823, as well as the highest number of accurate passes per game, 688.8, and shots on target, 6.3. They are also the team that completes the most dribbles every 90 minutes, with an average of 11.7. Haaland leads the Premier League scoring charts, an honor he has already won twice, while Rayan Cherki is the second player with the most assists.

Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rúben Dias and Antoine Semenyo are the only players with full minutes, although Abdukodir Khusanov, Josko Gvardiol, Elliot Anderson and Erling Haaland have also started all four official matches played in 2026/27.

Refereeing team

Szymon Marciniak was chosen by UEFA’s Refereeing Committee to officiate the match. The 45-year-old Polish referee will be assisted by fellow countrymen Tomasz Listkiewicz and Adam Kupsik, while Pawel Raczkowski will serve as fourth official. Dutchman Pol van Boekel will be the video assistant referee, assisted by fellow Dutchman Dennis Higler as AVAR.

Marciniak officiated the finals of the 2018 UEFA Super Cup, the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 Champions League between Manchester City and Inter Milan. In the three Champions League matches he has overseen involving FC Porto, the Dragons won in Rome, 0-3, lost in Madrid to Atlético, 2-1, and drew 0-0 at the Dragão against Inter.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.