Man City vs Copenhagen Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 UEFA Champions League | Round of 16
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THE FACTS
When is Man City vs Copenhagen on and what time does it start? Man City vs Copenhagen will take place on Wednesday 6th February, 2024 – 20:00 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Man City vs Copenhagen? Visit each club’s official website for the latest ticket information
What channel is Man City vs Copenhagen on in the UK? Man City vs Copenhagen will be televised live on TNT Sports in the UK
Where can I stream Man City vs Copenhagen in the UK? Man City vs Copenhagen can be streamed live on the discovery+
THE LOWDOWN
MAN CITY
Man City’s 1-3 victory in Denmark gives them the ideal platform to kick on and secure a comfortable quarter-final qualification over Copenhagen. It was also their 21st European fixture without tasting defeat, an English club record. Pep Guardiola’s side are also unbeaten across their last 11 Champions League round of 16 games whether it be a first or second leg, winning nine and drawing two. When taking all this into account, it’s easy to see why many see their progression as a formality.
Key to any success across the second-leg of this tie will be the reigning European champions’ ability to generate the same intensity that they managed when beating local rivals Man Utd at the weekend. Not to mention the mercurial class of players like Phil Foden and Erling Haaland, the former having found the net twice on Sunday and also chipped in with a goal and an assist in Copenhagen.
COPENHAGEN
Danish giants Copenhagen have nothing to lose in the context of this round of 16 tie, with everyone understandably seeing their chances of overturning a two-goal aggregate deficit as extremely bleak. Despite this though, they can take heart from scoring against the 2022-23 Premier League and Champions League winners and Man City have shown defensive fragility at times across the season, which the visitors will need to capitalise on.
Whilst the first-leg took place across pre-season, Copenhagen have since begun their domestic season, beating Silkeborg by three goals to nil and backing that up with a 2-0 win over Nordsjaelland. But most recently they were defeated 2-0 away from home at the hands of Midtjylland.
THE TEAM NEWS
MAN CITY
It would be no surprise to see Guardiola rotate his starting XI, but with the tie not yet secure, key players such as Rodri, Haaland and Foden are likely to feature from the off. But after starting Man City’s last two games in all competitions, Kevin De Bruyne could be named on the bench as the hosts continue to manage the Belgian very carefully in a bid not to aggregate a hamstring injury which saw him miss the entire group stage. Jack Grealish is out through injury.
PREDICTED XI (3-2-4-1): Ederson; Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Rodri; Bernardo Silva, Nunes, Alvarez, Foden; Haaland
UNAVAILABLE: Grealish (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
COPENHAGEN
Copenhagen will once again be without centre-back Davit Khocholava with the Georgian international nursing a knee injury. He’ll be joined on the sidelines by Theo Sander, the 19-year-old keeper is also out injured. The likes of striker Andreas Cornelius and midfielder Roony Bardghji could be afforded starts after being on the bench for the first-leg.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Grabara; Jelert, Vavro, McKenna, Meling; Goncalves, Falk, Mattsson; Bardghji, Cornelius, Elyounoussi
UNAVAILABLE: Khocholava (Injured), Sander (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
THE KEY STATS
- Man City have won their last six UEFA Champions League round of 16 ties.
- Man City are unbeaten in their last 28 UEFA Champions League matches in their own stadium (W26 D2), since a 2-1 loss to Lyon on Matchday 1 in 2018/19.
- Man City have lost the second leg in only one of their last 12 UEFA competition two-legged ties (W8 3).
- Man City have lost only one of their last eight UEFA competition matches against Danish teams (W5 D2).
- Man City have won all of their previous 14 UEFA competition ties in which they have won away from home in the first leg.
- Man City have scored three goals in all their seven UEFA Champions League matches this season. They are the first team to score three goals or more in seven consecutive matches in the UEFA Champions League.
- Copenhagen have won only two of their last 11 UEFA competition matches away from home (D5 L4).
- Copenhagen have lost the second leg in only one of their last ten UEFA competition ties (W6 D3).
- Copenhagen have won only two of their previous 16 UEFA competition matches against English teams (D5 L9).
- Copenhagen have not won any of their previous seven UEFA competition matches away from home against English clubs (D2 L5).
THE PREDICTION
Despite boasting a two-goal aggregate lead, Man City will want to put this tie to bed as soon as possible, so expect them to come out of the traps very quickly in a bid to score early on. The strength-in-depth of Guardiola’s squad is so impressive, any team he puts out should control the play from the start and fashion chances against Copenhagen, who face a tough balancing act between defending and attack. However, whilst Man City will surely wind up far too strong for the Danish champions once again, Copenhagen are more than capable of finding the net themselves against a Man City backline with just one clean sheet from seven Champions League fixtures this season, so back both teams to score alongside a home win.
TIP: MAN CITY TO WIN AND BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE
