Champions League: Manchester City vs Copenhagen Live
Preview: Manchester City vs Copenhagen
Manchester City vs Copenhagen will be at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday at 8:00pm, following a recent victory in a local derby for the home side. The Citizens hold a two-goal lead going into this match, having won the first leg 3-1 in Denmark three weeks ago.
Man City secured their 17th win in an impressive 19-game unbeaten streak in all competitions by defeating Manchester United 3-1 at the Etihad. Despite falling behind at halftime, they came back strong with goals from Phil Foden and Erling Haaland. With 11 Premier League matches left, they are just one point behind leaders Liverpool. They are also set to face Newcastle United in the FA Cup quarter-finals and are focused on progressing in the Champions League against Copenhagen.
Copenhagen entered the Champions League knockout rounds for only the second time in their history and the first time since 2010-11. They were optimistic after a strong group stage performance, including wins over Man United and Galatasaray. Despite a promising start in their last-16 first-leg match against Man City, with Magnus Mattsson scoring a goal, they ultimately lost to the holders. After the defeat, Copenhagen bounced back with two wins in the Danish Superliga but suffered a setback in the title race. They face a tough challenge in the second leg against Man City, as they have historically struggled against English teams in European competitions and have not won a Champions League away game since 2016.
Head-to-head
In the last five matches between Manchester City and FC Copenhagen, Manchester City has won three times and drawn twice. Manchester City has also won both of their previous home matches against Copenhagen, scoring a total of seven goals in those games.
Prediction
Man City should not be complacent on Wednesday, and even if Guardiola decides to rotate his team, they will still be seen as strong favorites to win the second leg. Copenhagen can play without pressure and will aim to replicate their good moments from the first leg at the Etihad. However, the home team is expected to be too strong for the Danish team, and it is likely that the defending champions will advance to the quarter-finals.
