Juventus at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, as the Old Lady bid to repeat last year’s run to the Champions League final.
Group D rivals City and Juve both found their dreams of European success thwarted by Barcelona last term – the English Premier League outfit dumped out by the Catalans in the last 16, and the Serie A champions falling at the final hurdle in Berlin.
The Citizens secured a 1-0 home win over eventual tournament winners Juventus in the UEFA Cup first round of 1976-77, but the Bianconeri overturned the deficit in Turin, claiming a 2-0 triumph [2-1 on aggregate].
They drew 1-1 on both occasions within the Europa League group stage of 2010-11. Manchester City finished top of the group, with Juventus missing out on qualification in third place.
City, who came second in the Premier League last season, are participating in the group stage for the fifth successive year. Manuel Pellegrini’s men emerged victorious just once at home in the 2014-15 edition against Bayern Munich.
Ominously, the hosts boast a 100 per cent record from five domestic outings so far, and they lead the league table at this early point in proceedings.
Juventus are about to embark upon their fourth group stage involvement in a row, and they’re unbeaten in their last four Champions League outings away from home.
They’ve failed to win on English shores since defeating City’s neighbours Manchester United by a single goal in the 1996-97 group phase. Their overall record in England reads two victories, six draws, and 12 losses.
It’s been a sticky start in Serie A for Juventus, with two losses occurring at the beginning of a new campaign for the first time in history. The Bianconeri scraped a draw against Chievo in preparation for their trip to Manchester.
City defender Pablo Zabaleta is out with a knee injury picked up in training last month, while midfielder Fabian Delph pulled up with a hamstring problem on international duty and won’t feature. His England team-mate Raheem Sterling is a doubt, as is star striker Sergio Aguero.
The Bianconeri must do without new signing Sami Khedira once again, who has yet to make his competitive debut for the club. He has a right thigh injury that struck him down in a pre-season friendly versus Marseille.
Coaches Pellegrini and Massimiliano Allegri met previously in the Champions League group stages of 2012-13, when Malaga beat AC Milan 1-0 at home, and then drew 1-1 in Italy.
Form Guide: Manchester City (W-W-W-W-W) Juventus (W-L-L-D)
Expected Starting XIs
Manchester City: Hart; Sagna, Kompany, Mangala, Kolarov; Toure, Fernandinho; De Bruyne, Silva, Nasri; Bony.
Juventus: Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Marchisio, Hernanes, Pogba, Evra; Mandzukic, Morata.
