Porto back in Champions League, City’s spending power looms as Farioli shuffles pack | OneFootball

Porto return to the Champions League against Manchester City at 20:00, with Farioli will have to adjust his side because of absences. Changes are anticipated from midfield back, while the attack is expected to remain unchanged.

According to O Jogo, Nehuén Pérez will replace Bednarek at centre-back, and Alan Varela is expected to take Froholdt’s place, reshaping the midfield triangle. Fofana is not yet up to speed and Inbeom, a new arrival this season, is less bedded in to start.

City arrive as the biggest spenders of the last summer window, with €526m laid out on nine players.

City have also been a profitable buyer for Porto, with only Real Madrid paying more since the start of the millennium. Madrid signed Éder Militão, Danilo, Pepe and Casemiro for €126.5m. City’s purchases of Fernando Reges, Mangala and Nico González total €120m, while Atlético Madrid rank third on €103m.

City’s squad value is put at €1.43bn, second only to Real Madrid and just two million euros behind. Seven Champions League participants clear the €1bn mark, with PSG, Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Liverpool also in that bracket. Porto’s squad is valued at €464m, ahead of Sporting on €378.7m.

Source: O Jogo

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”