Manchester City vs Napoli (UEFA Champions League): Match Preview, Team News, Head to Head, How to Watch | OneFootball

Manchester City get their 2025/26 UEFA Champions League campaign underway against the Serie A leaders in an emotional return for Kevin De Bruyne, as Antonio Conte’s Napoli travel to the Etihad Stadium on Thursday night.

Pep Guardiola and his side got back to winning ways in the best possible fashion thanks to a 3-0 thumping of Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, as Phil Foden and Erling Haaland yet again couldn’t help themselves from getting in on the action on derby day.

The match opened with a delicate header from Foden in the 18th minute, subsequently followed by a somewhat inevitable Haaland second-half brace with goals in the 53rd and 68th minutes to take the red side of Manchester to the cleaners, ensuring a derby day triumph and, of course, the all-important three points.

The victory was also a perfect tribute to a boxing and overall Mancunian legend as a true blue whose tragic passing was announced just hours before kick-off at the weekend, Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton.

However positive that result in the Premier League may be, it is now time for Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City squad to turn their attention back to the most prestigious competition of them all – the UEFA Champions League.

City’s opposition come into the game in impeccable form, with nine points from a possible nine as they top the table of Italy’s Serie A via goal difference, as those who occupy the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium have scored six goals in the opening three games league games.

Ahead of a big night of action at the Etihad Stadium, here is everything you need to know for an intriguing opening game of the 2025/2026 UEFA Champions League campaign for Manchester City!

Match Details

Manchester City’s opening game of the UEFA Champions League’s league phase this season against Napoli is scheduled to take place on Thursday 18 September at the Etihad Stadium, with kick-off at 20:00 (BST).

Match Officials

UEFA have confirmed that Felix Zwayer will oversee proceedings between Manchester City and Napoli on Thursday night, whilst fellow German Christian Dingert will be the Video Assistant Referee.

Check out the full list of match officials below!

Team News

Unfortunately for Pep Guardiola, it is believed that in midweek the Catalan’s injury burden has not lightened, with Manchester City still expected to be without John Stones – who had issues during the international break and was withdrawn as a precaution.

Mateo Kovačić – who is still recovering from his surgery following the injury to his Achilles injury last campaign – is also expected to be sidelined, but is edging closer to a full recovery in the coming days and weeks.

The Blues are also expected to be without Rayan Cherki – who is ruled out with a muscular issue for several more weeks – and Omar Marmoush, after sustaining a knee injury on international duty with Egypt. Rounding off City’s injury list, Rayan Ait-Nouri is also ruled out with an ankle injury that caused him difficulties in the defeat to Brighton.

Regarding City’s visitors from Naples, a trio of substitute goalkeeper Nikita Contini, central defender Amir Rrahmani, and striker Romelu Lukaku are all set to miss Thursday night’s clash through injury.

Press Conference Quotes

Pep Guardiola

On looking forward to reuniting with Kevin De Bruyne: “After the game, yeah… Of course it’s nice to have him back!”

On whether Manchester City are one of the favourites to win the UEFA Champions League: “Apparently we are not. Just enjoy the moment, the journey. We are happy to be here. In the past we have been, and just won once, so that is a lot for the difficulties.

“Just focus on tomorrow, the game we have to play, start well this competition… When you start with a bad result, always it’s more difficult, and last season we drew the first game against Inter and hopefully this season we can get a better result.”

On cross-competition challenges: “We don’t choose competitions; it’s this game, and then in one week or 10 days we go to Huddersfield – that will then be the most important one. This defines this institution, this club, organisation, whatever you want to do you go seriously every single game.”

Head-to-Head

Manchester City and Napoli have faced each other just four times previously, with the most recent contest being eight years ago and all the way back in 2017, which ended 2-4 thanks to Nicolás Otamendi, John Stones, Raheem Sterling and Sergio Agüero.

In terms of the other three meetings between the sides, City have won once, drawn once and lost once, taking their all-time head-to-head record against Gli Azzurri to W2, D1, L1.

How To Watch

For viewers in the United Kingdom, the game will be available to stream on TNT Sports and Discovery+, with action getting underway from 20:00 (BST).

For those in the United States, the contest is available live on Paramount+ at 15:00 (EST).

You can find the full global TV listings for this match HERE!

City Xtra will have full live coverage available on our X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram channels throughout matchday, with content also provided on cityxtra.co.uk!