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Manchester City logo
Club Friendlies
Jul 30, 2023 at 12pm UK
Stade Rene Gaillard
Atletico Madrid logo

Man City
1 - 2
Atletico

Dias (85')
Gomez (57'), Phillips (76')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Depay (66'), Carrasco (74')
Azpilicueta (15'), Soyuncu (87')

How Manchester City could line up against Atletico Madrid

How Manchester City could line up against Atletico Madrid
© Reuters
Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how Manchester City could line up for Sunday's pre-season friendly against Atletico Madrid.

Wrapping up their pre-season schedule on Sunday, Manchester City meet Atletico Madrid at Seoul's World Cup Stadium, where playmaker Kevin De Bruyne could make his much-anticipated return to action.

The European champions have been without the Belgian maestro for the first two matches of their Asian tour, but his recovery from a hamstring injury sustained in the Champions League final means that Pep Guardiola could choose to offer the 32-year-old some valuable minutes ahead of next week's Community Shield clash with Arsenal.

In De Bruyne's absence, former Sheffield United loan star James McAtee scored City's first-half opener in Wednesday's win over Bayern Munich, with supposed outcast Aymeric Laporte then netting the winner, as speculation about the Spain defender's future in Manchester continues.

Another player reportedly eyeing an exit, Kyle Walker, has captained last season's treble winners in both games so far this summer and will compete with Rico Lewis and Joao Cancelo to start at right-back.

In addition to Lewis and McAtee starting against Bayern, 20-year-olds Maximo Perrone and Oscar Bobb have also featured for City over the past week, though the latter pair are more likely to appear as substitutes on Sunday.

Midfield regular Rodri is expected to play against his former club, possibly partnered by ex-Real Madrid man Mateo Kovacic in the engine room; alternatively, either Lewis or John Stones would feature in a hybrid role.

While mercurial winger Riyad Mahrez has now departed for Saudi Arabia, Guardiola still has plenty of options available in the final third, with Phil Foden having perhaps the strongest claim for promotion to the first XI.

Up front, last term's record-breaking top scorer Erling Haaland will expect to supplant Julian Alvarez, who initially led the line against Bayern in Tokyo.

Manchester City possible starting lineup: Ederson; Walker, Akanji, Laporte, Ake; Rodri, Kovacic; Silva, Foden, Grealish; Haaland

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How you voted: Atletico vs Man City

Atletico Madrid
13.1%
Draw
11.9%
Manchester City
75.0%
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Manchester City's Nathan Ake in action with Bayern Munich's Leroy Sane on July 26, 2023
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