Manchester City confirm 23-man squad for UEFA Champions League league phase | OneFootball

Manchester City have finalised and announced their 23-man squad List A for the league phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League.

Pep Guardiola and his staff have been preparing for another demanding European campaign, with this season’s schedule already drawn to pit Manchester City against the likes of Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, and Napoli.

The confirmation of the squad list comes just days before their opening clash against Napoli at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday 18 September. Under UEFA’s rules, each participating club is permitted to submit a maximum of 25 players on List A, which must include at least two goalkeepers and a quota of eight ‘locally trained players’.

List B, which can be amended before each individual match, allows clubs to include players born on or after 1 January 2004 who have been registered with the club for an uninterrupted two-year period.

For Manchester City, the inclusion of youngsters such as Rico Lewis and Nico O’Reilly on List B reflects both the strength of the academy pipeline and the trust Pep Guardiola has in youth when navigating the balance between domestic and European commitments.

The new format also increases the importance of rotation, with eight league phase games squeezed between mid-September and the end of January.

Manchester City’s 23-man List A squad for the UEFA Champions League, League Phase

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma, James Trafford, Stefan Ortega Moreno, Marcus Bettinelli

Defenders: Matheus Nunes, John Stones, Abdukodir Khusanov, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Nathan Ake, Rayan Ait-Nouri

Midfielders: Rodri, Mateo Kovacic, Nico, Tijjani Reijnders, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki

Forwards: Savinho, Doku, Bobb, Marmoush, Haaland.

List B: Rico Lewis, Nico O’Reilly

The squad highlights the level of attacking depth at Pep Guardiola’s disposal, with Erling Haaland joined by January recruit Omar Marmoush and Brazilian winger Savinho, alongside the creative threat of Doku, Bobb, and Cherki.

Midfield remains anchored by Rodri, with Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, and new recruit Tijjani Reijnders all offering options in possession-heavy contests. Notably, Gianluigi Donnarumma is named in Manchester City’s Champions League squad for the first time since completing his high-profile switch from Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day.

Stefan Ortega Moreno and James Trafford are also included and provide competition in the goalkeeper department, meanwhile Marcus Bettinelli’s inclusion ensures Manchester City meet UEFA’s goalkeeper requirements.

Looking ahead, Pep Guardiola may yet have the chance to reinforce this squad should City progress beyond the league phase, with UEFA rules permitting clubs to register up to three new players before the knockout rounds in February.

That window could become important depending on injuries, departures, or further January recruitment by the Etihad Stadium hierarchy.

For now, however, Pep Guardiola and his players will be focused on their opening clash with Napoli, before travelling to Monaco and Villarreal as the fixture list begins to intensify.

The manager has repeatedly spoken of the need for squad depth to cope with the relentless demands of both the Premier League and Europe – and with this 23-man List A squad, City look well-equipped to chase another deep run in the Champions League.