Key events
Pep Guardiola has a slightly awkward TV interview, most of which he spends telling the interviewer that they’re wrong, or that he’s not thinking about that right now. To start with, he’s asked why he’s picked an unchanged team:
My decision. It’s easy to understand. No [it’s not because we were so amazing on Sunday], in the beginning of the season with a lot of changes in the squad I’m trying to give a bit of consistency in the line-up, that’s all.
I’d very much like to bring you photographs of a variety of players during the warm-ups, but all the ones we’ve been sent are of the same bloke.
The teams!
The lineups are here, and they look like this. City are unchanged from Sunday’s win over Manchester United:
Manchester City: Donnarumma, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Rodri, Silva, Reijnders, Foden, Doku, Haaland. Subs: Trafford, Ake, Bettinelli, Gonzalez, Savio, Matheus Luiz, Bobb, Mukasa, Lewis, Mfuni.
Napoli: Milinkovic-Savic, Politano, Beukema, Buongiorno, Spinazzola, Lobotka, Di Lorenzo, Anguissa, De Bruyne, McTominay, Hojlund. Subs: Meret, Ferrante, Gutierrez, Juan Jesus, Gilmour, Neres, Olivera, Elmas, Vergara, Lucca, Ambrosino, Lang.
Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany).
VAR: Christian Dingert (Germany).
Hello world!
He’s back! Kevin de Bruyne returns to Manchester, having only just left, this time plotting City’s downfall. “I’ve spoken to Kevin, I’ve asked him a few things,” said Antonio Conte, the Napoli coach. Well, it would probably be awkward if he hadn’t, but sure. De Bruyne, inevitably, has settled beautifully in Italy, and has already scored twice in three league games this season (a free kick and a penalty).
“He’s been a part of this club for 10 years and had a great coach like Pep Guardiola,” Conte continued of the Belgian. “Kevin will be excited to be playing but I’m hoping that after the starting whistle he will find his feet and remember he’s playing for our great Napoli.” Well, it would certainly be awkward if he didn’t, but sure.
Also returning to Manchester are Scott McTominay, who scored 12 league goals last season as Napoli powered to the Serie A title after moving from United, and Rasmus Hojland, who has made one appearance since leaving Old Trafford on loan and scored 14 minutes into it. All of which adds some intrigue to a game whose winner should, given the two sides’ quality and their remaining group-stage fixtures, be set fair to progress without great ado into the knockouty bit.
Some pre-match reading for you: Jamie Jackson heard recent City recruit Gianluigi Donnarumma do some chatting yesterday, and this is what he wrote about it:
Gianluigi Donnarumma has said he believes Pep Guardiola will help improve his ball-playing skills and that Manchester City were interested in signing him before the summer.
Donnarumma joined from Paris Saint-Germain for about £30m (€35m) on transfer deadline day. The move caused surprise because of the view that the 26-year-old is not as accomplished with his feet as Ederson, who left for Fenerbahce, or James Trafford, the £27m signing from Burnley in July.
The Italian was asked if criticism of his ball-playing skills was fair. “I always try to improve and I am with a coach who is the best in these situations – he will help me.”
Much more here:
