Manchester City vs Club Brugge – Match Preview and team news

The Football Faithful

Wed, Jan 29, 2025, 5:04 a.m.·4 min read

Manchester City vs Club Brugge – Match Preview and team news

Manchester City must beat Club Brugge tonight to avoid a premature exit from the Champions League.

The 2023 winners have endured an underwhelming European campaign which has seen them win only two of their seven games.

January signings Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis are all ineligible due to City not yet having the opportunity to register the trio.

Come on, City! 💪#ManCity | #UCL pic.twitter.com/9C2SmRBoRq
— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 29, 2025

Ruben Dias is unavailable with an adductor injury while Nathan Ake will be assessed after missing the weekend’s action entirely.

However, Pep Guardiola has received a big boost with Oscar Bobb back in contention. The talented youngster hasn’t featured this campaign after breaking his leg just before the start of the season.

Club Brugge are in a very favourable position to advance into the playoffs with a three-point cushion from elimination. Head coach Nicky Hayen is operating with a full squad ahead of his team’s trip to Manchester.

Manchester City vs Club Brugge – Match Preview and team news

Form

Manchester City: WDWLW

City’s chances of progression are in the balance after a collapse in France last Wednesday.

The Premier League champions surrendered a two-goal lead away to PSG to lose 4-2 in the French capital.

That wasn’t the first time City had let a sizeable lead slip out of their grasp in the competition this season.

Pep Guardiola’s side were 3-0 up against Feyenoord but inexplicably lost all control of the contest and drew 3-3.

They have also lost away to Juventus and Sporting which leaves them in desperate need of a win to remain in Europe’s elite tournament.

They did respond well to the defeat to PSG by staging a comeback of their own to beat Chelsea at the weekend.

Josko Gvardiol equalised moments before the interval to cancel out Noni Madueke’s opener before Erling Haaland and Phil Foden secured the three points.

Club Brugge: WWWDD

Club Brugge are on a sensational 20-match unbeaten streak in all competitions.

The successful period has included key home wins in Europe against Aston Villa and Sporting.

Despite their dominant run, they lie three points off league leaders Genk in the Belgian First Division.

A goalless stalemate at home with Juventus last week means Nicky Hayen’s team need just a point to advance into the Champions League playoffs.

Last Meeting: Manchester City 4-1 Club Brugge, Champions League, 3rd November 2021

Manchester City eased past the Belgian outfit in the last meeting to complete a double over Brugge back in 2021.

City had beaten Brugge 5-1 away from home a fortnight before and the reverse fixture followed a similar pattern.

The hosts were inches away from opening the scoring through Joao Cancelo, but his curled effort clipped the post. Moments later, Simon Mignolet’s net was breached as Cancelo’s drilled cross was gratefully tapped in by Phil Foden.

However, Club Brugge’s response was almost instant. Charles De Ketelaere’s fiercely hit cross deflected off Bernardo Silva and onto the face of John Stones who couldn’t avoid diverting the ball past his own goalkeeper.

It took City until after the interval to retake the lead. Cancelo was the architect once again as the full-back’s delivery was inch-perfect onto the head of Riyad Mahrez.

The Manchester club then gave themselves some breathing space through a trademark goal from Raheem Sterling. Ilkay Gundogan cut the ball back to the Englishman whose expert positioning allowed him to tap in first time.

Their victory was put beyond any doubt in second-half stoppage time with Gabriel Jesus stroking a finish into the corner.

Predicted Lineups

Manchester City: Ederson; Nunes, Stones, Akanji, Gvardiol; Silva, Kovacic, De Bruyne; Foden, Haaland, Savinho.

Club Brugge: Mignolet; Seys, Romero, Mechele, De Cuyper; Onyedika, Jashari; Tzolis, Nielsen, Talbi; Nilsson.

Who is the referee?

Spanish referee Jose Maria Sanchez will be the match official. Raul Cabañero and Inigo Prieto will assist him while Cesar Soto Grado will be the fourth official. The VAR will be Alejandro Hernandez and he will be assisted by Carlos del Cerro Grande.