Manchester City begin their Champions League campaign on Wednesday night, as they travel to the Netherlands to face Dutch league champions Feyenoord at the De Kuip stadium.
Last time out, City were knocked out at the last 16 stage after Monaco beat the Citizens on away goals, as both sides drew 6-6 on aggregate. Since then, City have brought in Bernardo Silva and Benjamin Mendy, who were players that took them apart in both legs. This campaign will be crucial for Pep Guardiola as he looks to get his third Champions League trophy as a manager.
In recent seasons, City were showing signs of progression in the competition, despite getting unlucky draws in the group stages and the last 16, particularly when they got Barcelona twice in a row in the last 16. In Manuel Pellegrini’s final season in charge, he guided them to a semi-final where they narrowly missed out on reaching the final in a 1-0 aggregate loss to Real Madrid.
This season, they are up against Feyenoord, Italian side Napoli and Ukrainian league champions Shakhtar Donetsk. Despite this being City’s “easiest” group selection, it will still be a challenge for the Citizens, especially when they have to travel to Ukraine in December for their final group game. City’s toughest opponents will most likely be Napoli, considering the quality of players they have in Marek Hamsik, Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens.
I have made a list of bios for City’s Champions League opponents in preview for Wednesday.
