Copenhagen vs Manchester City

Parken Stadium is the venue as Copenhagen and Manchester City go head-to-head in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie.

Copenhagen punched above their weight to qualify for only their second Champions League round of 16, navigating a highly competitive Group A past Manchester United and Galatasaray. With only Bayern Munich outplaying them in the group stages, Jacob Neestrup’s side won’t shy away from another high-profile challenge as they bid to post their first-ever European triumph against Manchester City (D2, L2). Copenhagen would have to beat the odds to pull that off, but since they’ve lost just three of their last 19 Champions League home fixtures (W8, D8), it’s hard to put it past them to upset the apple cart. The Danes should avoid peeking into the history books, though, with their only previous Champions League last-16 appearance resulting in an emphatic exit at the hands of Manchester City’s fellow Premier League rivals Manchester City.

Last season’s treble wins have enjoyed a sterling defending Champions League campaign, winning all six group-stage matches while scoring precisely three goals in each. However, manager Pep Guardiola would appreciate more commitment at the back after overseeing just two clean sheets in City’s last 13 competitive outings. The high-flying ‘Citizens’ make this journey amidst a purple patch, having won their last ten games across all competitions, including a 2-0 thumping of Everton at the weekend. That eye-catching run bodes well for Man City’s quest to extend an English record 20 consecutive European fixtures without losing and potentially put this tie to bed already in the first leg.