Manchester City vs Napoli

After the 3-0 demolition of Ruben Amorim’s side in the Manchester derby on Sunday night, City prepare to face Serie A champions Napoli on Thursday night as they begin their UCL campaign. This is City's 15th successive season in the Champions League proper. They have featured in every campaign since 2011/12 and have reached the knockout stages in each of the last 12. And while the two clubs have crossed paths before, all four of their previous meetings came in the group stage of the competition. Back in 2011-12, City endured a tough campaign against the Italians, managing just one point across the two fixtures. However, fortunes were reversed in 2017-18 when Pep Guardiola’s side claimed back-to-back wins over Napoli on their way to topping the group. The Sky Blues have a record of a strong start in the competition, having won five and drawn one of their last six Matchday 1 fixtures since a 1-2 defeat by Lyon in 2018/19. It’s a record Pep Guardiola, who marks his 17th campaign as a Champions League manager, would be hoping to extend when he deploys the 4—1—4—1 formation with Haaland in attack.

History does little to favour the visitors. Napoli have never won away to an English club in European competition, with their record standing at 12 attempts without success (D3 L9). They have lost at least once against six of the seven English teams they have faced, including Arsenal, Burnley, Chelsea, Leeds United, Liverpool, and Manchester City. Leicester City remains the only exception, holding Napoli to a 2-2 draw in the UEFA Europa League during the 2021-22 season. For Conte, Napoli becomes the fifth different club he has led in the Champions League, following spells with Juventus, Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Tottenham Hotspur. Among Italian managers, only Carlo Ancelotti and Claudio Ranieri have coached more clubs in the competition. This campaign represents another chance for Conte to prove himself on the biggest stage after a mixed record in previous editions. On the touchline, there is also a fascinating managerial subplot. Pep Guardiola has faced Antonio Conte on seven occasions in all competitions, but it is the Italian who has the edge, winning four times compared to Guardiola’s three. Conte belongs to a small, elite group of managers who boast a positive record against Guardiola—alongside Jürgen Klopp and Luis Enrique. Rasmus Højlund, who scored on his debut against Fiorentina, is expected at the attacking end of Napoli's 4—1—4—1 formation.