Haaland Set to Haunt Former Club as Man City Clash with Borussia Dortmund - Predicted XI Revealed
Manchester City will continue their Champions League journey this Wednesday as they welcome Borussia Dortmund in the league phase at home.
The Citizens' failure to secure a top-eight finish and direct qualification to the round of 16 last season came at a significant cost, leading to their early elimination from the tournament. Pep Guardiola's squad is eager to prevent repeating this error in the current campaign. Their record of two victories and one draw from the first three matches demonstrates their serious intentions.
Dortmund, who reached the 2024 final, will present a formidable test for City, though the eight-time Premier League winners possess sufficient quality to defeat their German opponents on Wednesday—particularly with Guardiola having nearly his complete squad available for selection.
Here's how City might set up tactically.
Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Borussia Dortmund (4-1-4-1)
GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma—The Italian goalkeeper committed his first major mistake in a City shirt during the weekend fixture, delivering a poor punch that enabled Bournemouth to find the equalizer. Luckily for Donnarumma, Erling Haaland rescued him with a crucial goal in their 3–1 victory.
RB: Matheus Nunes—Nunes has featured in the starting eleven for five of City's last six fixtures, only sitting out the Carabao Cup fourth-round victory against Swansea City. The player has established himself as Guardiola's preferred choice at right-back.
CB: John Stones—City are expected to make changes before hosting Liverpool in the Premier League this weekend, with Joško Gvardiol potentially among those rested. Stones represents an excellent alternative to bring into the lineup.
CB: Rúben Dias—The reliable Dias will anchor City's defensive line against Dortmund and must perform at his peak to contain Serhou Guirassy, as the Guinean forward has found the net seven times across all competitions this season.
LB: Rayan Aït-Nouri—While Nico O'Reilly delivered an impressive performance at the weekend and managed to score, Aït-Nouri could make his return to the starting eleven for his debut Champions League match. The left-back has recently recovered from injury and should gradually be reintroduced to regular action.
DM: Nico González—Although Rodri has returned to fitness and made a substitute appearance at the weekend, Guardiola will likely exercise caution in rushing the Ballon d'Or winner back too quickly. González may receive another opportunity on Wednesday, with Rodri potentially saved for the Liverpool encounter.
RM: Savinho—The Brazilian's pace and dynamism will trouble Dortmund's defense, having established himself as a valuable asset in recent weeks. He has recorded two assists in his last three starts for the Citizens.
CM: Tijjani Reijnders—Despite not reaching his exceptional standards in recent fixtures, the Dutch midfielder is likely to return to the starting lineup as Guardiola rotates his squad. He hasn't been involved in a goal at club level since the Arsenal draw in September.
CM: Phil Foden—Foden provided an assist during his 200th Premier League appearance at the weekend, making him the youngest player to achieve this milestone in the competition's history. He remains too valuable to rest for Dortmund's visit.
LM: Jérémy Doku—The Belgian winger has shown excellent form for City this season and looks set to start once again on Wednesday, though Guardiola may consider resting him ahead of the Liverpool fixture.
ST: Erling Haaland—The striker netted against his former team Dortmund during the 2022–23 Champions League season and hopes to add to his tally of 26 goals for club and country this campaign when BVB visits the Etihad.
