Manchester City face Slovan Bratislava in UCL Matchday 2. Get lineups, key players, and match prediction! Will City bounce back with a win? Find out here!
On Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League (UCL), interest will run high as Slovakian capital Slovan Bratislava prepares for a closely contested battle with a hotly anticipated one against Manchester City at Tehelné Pole Stadium, the Slovakian outfit's first-ever UCL home match. Bratislava will be looking to make the most of it after going down in a dashing 5-1 defeat to Celtic in their group opener. Manchester City, on the other hand, will be craving revenge after a frustrating draw against Inter in their opening game.
Gwalior: Pep Guardiola's men will not only be seeking a first win this campaign but also look to equal Manchester United's longest unbeaten run in Europe if they avoid defeat.
Kick-Off Details
Date: Wednesday, October 2
Time: 12:30 AM IST
Venue: Tehelné Pole, Bratislava
Recent Form
Slovan Bratislava (W-W-W-L-W): Slovan Bratislava comes into this fixture riding high with three consecutive wins in their domestic league. Despite their loss to Celtic in the UCL, the Slovak champions are determined to make a mark in their home debut.
Manchester City (D-W-D-D-W): City are unbeaten in their last five matches across all competitions but have struggled to maintain consistency. A victory in this fixture is crucial for them to kickstart their Champions League campaign.
Players to Watch
Tigran Barseghyan (Slovan Bratislava):
At seven goals and two assists for this Armenian international, Barseghyan is arguably the player to watch in the Slovan Bratislava for this season. Very skilled at cutting inside to beat defenses, Barseghyan could be a nightmare for Manchester City's defense. Keep an eye on how he combines with Marko and Weiss down those flanks, as that is where he plays.
Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City):
Gündogan will have a huge role to play behind the forward line for Manchester City as both Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri will be missing. The creativity and vision that Gündogan boasts in addition to his ability to break lines with passes will be absolutely crucial in unlocking the Slovan Bratislava defense. Gündogan is most likely to control the tempo and orchestrate the game as he feeds chances to Haaland and Jack Grealish.
Injury & Team News
Slovan Bratislava: The Slovakian side is expected to have a fully fit squad for this clash.
Manchester City: Guardiola will be without Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Oscar Bob, and Nathan Ake due to injuries.
Predicted Lineups
Slovan Bratislava (4-2-3-1):
Dominik (GK); Cesar, Guram, Kevin, Jurij; Julius, Artur; Tigran Barseghyan, Marko, Weiss; David
Manchester City (4-2-3-1):
Ederson (GK); Walker, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Lewis, Kovacic; Silva, Gündogan, Grealish; Haaland
Prediction: Slovan Bratislava vs Manchester City
Manchester City are huge favorites for this match, looking at the better quality side and the team's exposure to European matches. The defense which was laid bare on the night by the current potent group of Celtic will be tested to the hilt by City's war-machine of an attack. Overall, energetic playmakers and deadly striking from Haaland make a comprehensive victory for the side of Guardiola a very safe proposition.
Prediction: Slovan Bratislava 0-3 Manchester City
Telecast & Streaming
India: Sony Sports Network, SonyLiv
UK: Amazon Prime Video, Discovery+
US: Paramount+
