Manchester City vs Napoli is set to be a tricky tie for Pep Guardiola as they host last season’s Serie A title winners in their opening match of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League campaign on Thursday, September 18.
The tie, albeit a tricky one for Pep Guardiola’s men, will be a sentimental one as it allows for the imminent return of Kevin De Bruyne to the Etihad Stadium. Manchester City will look to be successful in winning this difficult affair to give themselves an early boost in the league stages, whilst a victory for Italian side Napoli would be a memorable one for Antonio Conte and his players.
Match Details
Etihad Stadium
Manchester, England
Thursday, September 18
Kick-off: 8:00 BST
Manchester City vs Napoli: Key Factors for Each Team
In Serie A, Napoli have had an impressive start, winning all three of their matches so far to sit top of the table. The likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Andre Frank Zambo-Anguissa have performed admirably so far for Antonio Conte’s side, who will be looking to continue their good form in the Champions League.
Pep Guardiola’s side have been less consistent in their opening Premier League fixtures, with some dominant displays and some that have left a lot to be desired. Manchester City will be looking to rectify this in European competition, starting with the tie against Napoli.
Having noted the performances of each side so far this season, what other factors may be considered ahead of this tie?
Can Gianluigi Donnarumma Continue In Good Form After His Impressive Debut?
Following the return of James Trafford to Manchester City this summer, Pep Guardiola’s men further bolstered their goalkeeping department, signing Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain.
Donnarumma himself did not foresee his departure from Paris Saint-Germain. However, he appears to have adapted to life as a Manchester City goalkeeper already. Donnarumma made his debut in the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium and performed well in the tie, ensuring he kept a clean sheet after good saves, including a diving effort after a volley from Bryan Mbeumo.
The Cityzens will take confidence from the Italian’s first display in goal for the side, and the experience that the new arrival has, having played in goal for top sides since the age of 16, when he made his AC Milan debut.
With all that being said, Manchester City need to monitor the goalkeeping situation at the club carefully. Ex-Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford rejoined the club with the intention of playing regular football, and some have inferred that the move for Donnarumma has unsettled Trafford, so Pep Guardiola will need to ensure that his number two also plays frequently for the side.
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Can Napoli’s Ex-Premier League Core Continue to Perform Well?
Over recent years, Napoli have signed players who have featured regularly in the Premier League. These signings have proven to be successful for the Italian side, winning the league title last year, and starting the league off in fine form this season.
Some players that Napoli signed, including Kevin De Bruyne, have added top quality to the side. However, the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Scott McTominay arrived looking to revitalise their career. McTominay played a key role in Napoli’s previous title-winning campaign, and Hojlund scored on his debut for the side, indicating that both players are on the right track to revitalise their careers.
Other players who have played in the Premier League and performed well for Napoli include Billy Gilmour and Andre Frank Zambo-Anguissa. Gilmour arrived last summer ahead of their title-winning campaign, similarly to McTominay. However, Anguissa has been at the club for a longer period of time.
All these players have experience of high-level competition and will look to continue that this season.
Manchester City vs Napoli Probable Lineups
Both Manchester City and Napoli will look to field a strong team in this tie as they look to kick off the Champions League in the right manner.
Here we look at the probable lineups for the Manchester City vs Napoli clash:
Manchester City XI: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Nico O’Reilly, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Rico Lewis, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Tijani Reijnders, Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland
Napoli XI: Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Sam Beukema, Alessandro Buangiorno, Leonardo Spinazzola, Stanislav Lobotka, Matteo Politano, Andre Frank Zambo-Anguissa, Kevin De Bruyne, Scott McTominay, Rasmus Hojlund
Manchester City vs Napoli Key Injuries
Manchester City: Mateo Kovacic, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Omar Marmoush, Kalvin Phillips
Napoli: Romelu Lukaku, Nikita Contini, Amir Rrahami, Alex Meret
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Sportimage
Recording Date: 14.09.2025