The English champions take on the best in Czechia in Wednesday's Champions League clash as Manchester City play host to Sparta Prague at the Etihad Stadium.
The two teams, who have never previously faced each other in European competition, have accumulated four points from their opening two matches, with the Citizens occupying eighth spot in the UCL table and the Maroons sitting just two places further back in 10th.
Match preview
© Imago
Man City have extended their unbeaten run across all competitions in the 2024-25 campaign to 12 matches and are the only Premier League team who are yet to lose this season after beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 at Molineux on Sunday.
The Citizens, who dominated the contest with almost 80% possession, 22 shots and 18 corners, were force to come from behind to claim maximum points, with a stunning 20-yard strike from Josko Gvardiol cancelling out Jorgen Strand Larsen's early opener, before John Stones powered home a dramatic 95th-minute header.
Victory for Pep Guardiola's side has seen them create a new club landmark of going 31 matches unbeaten (W25 D6) in the Premier League, and they will get the chance to etch their name into Champions League folklore in Wednesday's favourable-looking fixture against Sparta Prague.
Indeed, if Man City merely avoid defeat against the Maroons, they will set a new record for the longest unbeaten run in European Cup/Champions League history. The Citizens currently boast a 25-match unbeaten run (W17 D8), scoring 64 goals and conceding just 18 in the process, and most recently beat Slovan Bratislava 4-0 in Slovakia three weeks ago.
The 2023 UCL winners, who will also surpass Real Madrid's 32-game unbeaten home run set back in 1990 if they avoid defeat on Wednesday, have only previously faced one Czechia outfit in their history, beating Viktoria Plzen 3-0 away and winning 4-2 at home in the 2013-14 Champions League group stage.
© Imago
Competing in the Champions League for the first time in almost two decades, Sparta Prague have made a somewhat surprising yet impressive start to the league phase of this season's newly-expanded competition, picking up four points from their opening two matches.
After navigating their way past Shamrock Rovers, FCSB and Malmo in the qualifying rounds, the Maroons secured a 3-0 victory at home to Red Bull Salzburg on matchday one, before holding Bundesliga outfit Stuttgart to a 1-1 draw in Germany three weeks ago.
That draw took place in between two defeats in the Czech First League, but they returned to winning ways on Saturday as they beat Slovan Liberec 2-1 on home soil, courtesy of goals from Tomas Wiesner and Lukas Haraslin, the latter came off the substitutes' bench to score a 79th-minute winner.
Lars Friis's side, who won a record-extending 35th Czech top-flight title last season, currently sit second in the table with 25 points after 11 matches, three points behind leaders Slavia Prague - who have a game in hand - and one point ahead of third-placed Viktoria Plzen, who they lock horns with on Sunday.
Sparta must first test their mettle in the Champions League against Man City, who will become the ninth different English side they have faced in European competition. The Maroons have only won four of their previous 22 meetings with English clubs and most recently lost to Liverpool in the last 16 of the Europa League by an aggregate score of 11-2 last season.
Team News
© Imago
Man City are still having to cope without long-term absences Rodri (ACL) and Oscar Bobb (leg fracture), while Guardiola has revealed that he "doesn't think" either Kyle Walker (fitness) or Kevin De Bruyne (groin) will be ready to return on Wednesday.
After missing seven matches with a muscle injury, Nathan Ake watched on as an unused substitute against Wolves and the defender could be involved in some capacity against Sparta Prague, although he is not expected to start, so Josko Gvardiol is set to continue at left-back.
Guardiola may consider rotating his side in other positions, as he did against Slovan Bratislava, with the likes of Stefan Ortega, Manuel Akanji, Matheus Nunes, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden all hoping they can force their way into the first XI.
As for Sparta Prague, Imanol Garcia (knee) is both injured and ineligible, while Elias Cobbaut (illness) is yet to make an appearance for the Maroons this term and is unlikely to feature on Wednesday.
Martin Vitik served a domestic suspension last weekend, but he is available to return against Man City and could replace Asger Sorensen in central defence, joining Filip Panak and Jaroslav Zeleny in a back three.
Haraslin, Veljko Birmancevic and Victor Olatunji have all scored a team-high six goals so far this season and the trio will be pushing to start in attack, although Albion Rrahmani may be preferred to start ahead of the latter as the central striker.
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Gundogan, Nunes; Bernardo, Foden, Grealish; Haaland
Sparta Prague possible starting lineup:
Vindahl; Vitik, Panak, Zeleny; Preciado, Kairinen, Laci, Wiesner; Birmancevic, Rrahmani, Haraslin
We say: Manchester City 3-1 Sparta Prague
Sparta Prague have scored in all 19 of their competitive matches in all tournaments so far this season and they will fancy their chances of making the net ripple against a leaky Man City defence that has struggled to deal with counter-attacks in recent weeks.
However, the Citizens are a formidable force on home soil and they should have enough quality on show to outscore their opponents en route to claiming maximum points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
