Manchester City head to Slovakia for the first time in their history to take on Champions League newcomers Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday night.Pep Guardiola’s side find themselves in a rare spell of form, having secured just one win in their last four games, and they recently relinquished their top spot in the Premier League over the weekend.City’s post-Rodri era began with a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United on Saturday. Josko Gvardiol put City ahead, but Anthony Gordon’s second-half penalty leveled the match. This result means City’s only win in their last four outings came in the EFL Cup against Championship side Watford, while they were also held by Arsenal and Inter Milan in previous matches.Battle of former European champions: Nerazzurri towering over Red StarFollowing Liverpool’s victory on Saturday, City dropped to second place in the Premier League, though there’s little reason for alarm, as they have only lost once in 90 minutes since December.Heading into this fixture, City are overwhelming favorites, and a draw or win would see them match Manchester United’s Champions League unbeaten record of 25 games, set between 2007 and 2009.Pep is looking for Rodri‘s replacement in ItalyAfter being held by Inter Milan in their group stage opener, City will look to get their Champions League campaign truly underway as the reigning champions, aiming to regain the trophy from Real Madrid.This matchup presents one of the starkest financial disparities in the competition, with Transfermarkt valuing Slovan Bratislava’s squad at just £24 million, compared to Manchester City’s £1.04 billion squad value. As a result, the hosts face an uphill battle, especially as they carry a five-game losing streak against English clubs.Slovan’s 5-1 defeat to Celtic in their first-ever Champions League group-stage match served as a harsh reality check for manager Vladimir Weiss. They now face an even tougher challenge against the reigning European champions.However, Slovan have responded well domestically, winning all three of their matches since their heavy loss in Glasgow, scoring 12 goals along the way. They sit atop the Slovakian league, though the Champions League represents a far greater test of their quality.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Slovan are undefeated at home in Europe this season, but their hopes of progressing beyond the group stage will likely depend on their matches against teams like Girona, Dinamo Zagreb, and Stuttgart, rather than giants like Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, or City.The big news for City is the season-ending ACL injury to Rodri, suffered against Arsenal. In his absence, Rico Lewis stepped into midfield against Newcastle, but Guardiola also has the option of playing Matheus Nunes alongside Mateo Kovacic.Kevin De Bruyne, who missed the weekend trip to Newcastle, remains unavailable for Tuesday’s game. However, Phil Foden, who was benched on Saturday, could be set for just his second start of the season.Nathan Ake and Oscar Bobb are also sidelined due to injury, while Savinho and Jeremy Doku may be introduced into the starting lineup after coming off the bench in the previous game.PEP 💬 [Slovan Bratislava] is a team that I would say plays with courage. I saw the game against Glasgow Celtic and they were not scared to play. Not scared to link with their striker and they want to try it… I always have incredible respect for all the teams, especially when… pic.twitter.com/UPKZ4h1eQz— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 30, 2024 As for Slovan, they fielded their strongest XI at the weekend despite this looming Champions League clash, so minimal changes are expected. Kenan Bajric is a doubt after missing the last match, meaning Kevin Wimmer could continue in central defense, with Jurij Medvedev at full-back. Lukas Pauschek remains unavailable through injury, but Danylo Ignatenko made a return as a substitute in their win over Michalovce.Slovan are expected to set up defensively, but should they look to exploit any opportunities, Marko Tolic will be a key player for the hosts, playing just behind striker David Strelec.UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – MATCHDAY 2Tuesday19:45: (1.80) Salzburg (3.60) Brest (4.60)19:45: (1.45) Stuttgart (4.50) Sparta Praha (7.00)22:00: (1.75) Leverkusen (3.70) Milan (4.70)22:00: (1.50) Dortmund (4.30) Celtic (6.50)22:00: (1.10) Barcelona (11.0) Young Boys (18.0)22:00: (1.20) Inter (7.75) Crvena Zvezda (18.0)22:00: (1.85) Arsenal (3.70) PSG (4.70)22:00: (35.0) Slovan B. (14.0) Man.City (1.05)22:00: (2.60) PSV (3.50) Sporting (2.80)Wednesday19:45: (2.10) Girona (3.60) Feyenoord (3.60)19:45: (5.30) Shakhtar (3.60) Atalanta (1.70)22:00: (5.30) Dinamo Zagreb (3.60) Monaco (1.70)22:00: (6.00) Lille (4.10) Real Madrid (1.55)22:00: (3.00) Benfica (3.45) Atl.Madrid (2.50)22:00: (4.60) Aston Villa (3.80) Bayern (1.75)22:00: (2.40) RB Leipzig (3.45) Juventus (3.15)22:00: (1.20) Liverpool (6.75) Bologna (14.0)22:00: (2.80) Sturm (3.40) Club Brugge (2.65)***odds are subject to change***
