It’s round two of the UEFA Champions League group stage, and Manchester City welcomes Borussia Dortmund to the Etihad Stadium. With both sides capable of scoring goals in this match and both holding hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of this competition, there’s plenty to play for. Armchair fans are expecting a thrilling 90 minutes of play when following this game on television, and we have high hopes they will get their wish.
Manchester City entered this season as the pre-tournament favourites to finally win the title. This trophy is the only one in club football that has eluded them over the last few years. The Citizens have never made it across the finish line as champions, although they did come close a few years ago when making it to the final, only to lose against fellow Premier League side Chelsea. That was a bitter pill to swallow for all connected to Man City, but this is a brand new season.
The history books show these teams have met four times previously, and there isn’t much between them in the head-to-head stats. Man City enter this renewal having won half of those four games with a draw and one victory for Borussia Dortmund making up the form. The most recent clash was in 2021 when the Brits battled to a 2-1 away victory in this competition, leaving Man City with a 4-2 aggregate win. Is another victory headed their way?
Man City off to a strong start
All eyes will be on Man City this season to see if they can finally live up to the lofty expectations of their supporters and win the Champions League. It’s still far too early in the campaign to say for sure if they have what it takes, but the early signs are encouraging, and the Premier League champions have been dropped into a group they are capable of winning without too much fuss. Anything less than a group win when sharing with Borussia Dortmund, FC Copenhagen and Sevilla would be viewed as a bit of an embarrassment.
They opened their campaign with an easy win over Sevilla on the road last midweek. Spanish sides are always a tricky test at this level, and with Sevilla holding the home advantage, it was thought they would put up a fight. Certainly more of a fight than they did in the end, with Man City winning at a canter, scoring four goals while keeping a clean sheet. It was a real show of strength with Haaland netting twice, the other goals scored by Foden and Ruben Dias. That set the rulers of English football off on their way.
No game was played at the weekend after Man City’s match against Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium was postponed due to the sad passing of the Queen. That has given the squad and coaches a few extra days to prepare for this match, and we expect to see them come out re-invigorated, ready to put on a show for those in attendance. The support from the stands will be another positive for the blue half of Manchester, and the players will respond to that backing.
Dortmund have it all to do
Borussia Dortmund aims to escape this group and progress to the latter stages of the Champions League, where things get serious. The German side cursed their luck when drawing the competition favourites at the earliest opportunity. They would have preferred a slightly easier group, giving the players the opportunity to grow into the season and build momentum. Copenhagen and Sevilla are joining Man City and Borussia Dortmund in this pool, so challenging for the top two slots is possible.
Dortmund opened their Champions League season with a win over FC Copenhagen in Germany. That was an obvious pick for football fans making predictions on week one matches, but Dortmund deserves full credit for how they played that day and the goals they scored. It was a potential banana skin, but one Borussia navigated successfully, but how good is this team? We’ll get a better idea following this game in England. Could Dortmund throw a spanner in the works?
Despite claiming that 3-0 win over Copenhagen last midweek, Borussia Dortmund were beaten at the weekend on their return to Bundesliga action. They were paired with RB Leipzig at the Red Bull Arena and ended on the wrong side of a terrible beating. The Bulls took control early, with Orban netting inside the opening six minutes of the match before goals from Szoboszlai and Haidara completed the rout. That was a sore one for Dortmund and their fans, but the players must brush themselves down and come again.
Man City v Borussia Dortmund prediction
Manchester City is the home team for this match and will enjoy the benefits of being backed by strong support. They are the favourites to pick up all three points here, and if they can get their noses in front early, this could turn into another free-scoring 90 minutes. The hosts have the skill and firepower to win this match and take control of the group after two games. They won’t get things all their own way, but Man City are a strong side and are good enough to win this match with a bit to spare.
It’s difficult to build a convincing case for Borussia Dortmund leaving the Etihad Stadium with all three points, but stranger things have happened at this level, and we’ll see a few odd results again from this round. Dortmund must be at their best to get anything out of this game, and it’s likely away fans would snatch a draw if offered.
Champions League odds
Place a bet on the outcome of this match at 22bet, and you’ll find 1.155 offered on a Man City win while Borussia Dortmund trade at 15 for the victory. A draw can be backed at 8,1 with over 100 other pre-match betting markets available to registered members.
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