Porto and Manchester City scrap it out at the Estadio do Dragao on Tuesday evening for the first night of the 2026-27 Champions League league phase as both sides look to extend their 100 percent starts to the season.
Both clubs have made 100 percent starts to their domestic campaigns, but something must give in the fifth competitive meeting between the two European hopefuls.
Not since the 2015-16 season have Man City embarked on a Champions League adventure without Pep Guardiola at the helm, but Tuesday night's fixture marks the next maiden milestone for Enzo Maresca, who has already conquered the continent in the tertiary sense.
Maresca inspired Chelsea to Conference League glory in 2024-25, before overseeing three wins, one draw and two defeats during his six Champions League games in charge of the Blues in the second half of 2025, including the unforgettable 3-0 beating of Barcelona.
The Citizens were slain by the same scoreline against Arsenal in the Community Shield but have responded with Premier League perfection, taking nine points from a possible nine against Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and most recently newly-promoted Coventry City on Saturday. Erling Haaland's 300th career goal - one that also saw him break a Sergio Aguero Man City record - settled the contest with Frank Lampard's side, although Man City were indebted to Gianluigi Donnarumma for keeping the plucky Sky Blues at bay.
Nevertheless, Donnarumma's exploits enabled the Citizens to keep their first clean sheet of the season in any competition, but the visitors head to the Estadio do Dragao having underwhelmed on the road in Europe, winning just two and losing six of their last nine Champions League away games. That record will be a concern for Maresca, who needs a statement result to kickstart City's European campaign under his new regime.
Back among the European elite after a two-year absence, Porto prepare to play their first Champions League game since the 2023-24 season, in which they were eliminated by Arsenal on penalties in the last 16. The Dragons have since experienced a couple of unsuccessful ventures in the Europa League, losing in the knockout round playoffs to Roma in 2024-25 and in the quarter-finals to Nottingham Forest last term, but by regaining their Primeira Liga crown in 2025-26, they also regained their Champions League status.
Tuesday's hosts are now participating in the league phase/group stage of the Champions League for the 28th time - only Bayern Munich (30), Real Madrid and Barcelona (31 each) boast more appearances in this particular round - and Francesco Farioli's men return to the top continental tier with an unblemished 2026-27 record so far. After edging out Torreense 1-0 in the Portuguese Super Cup, Porto have started the Primeira Liga season with a five-game winning streak, scoring 11 goals and conceding just one in fixtures with Alverca, Rio Ave, Arouca, Viseu and Moreirense.
However, Porto have never beaten Man City in a competitive setting, losing three of their previous four head-to-heads in European competition, the only semi-positive result being a goalless Champions League draw in a December 2020 group-stage game.
Team news paints a mixed picture for both sides. For Man City, new record signing Enzo Fernandez was pressed into action earlier than expected against Coventry, as Nico O'Reilly withdrew from the starting XI at the last minute after sustaining a back injury in the warm-up. Maresca played down the severity of O'Reilly's problem after the game, but the Englishman has not made the journey to the Iberian Peninsula, and nor has Jeremy Doku (calf). Iliman Ndiaye also sparked concern when he was forced off in the 87th minute of his debut, but the ex-Everton man professed that he was simply suffering from cramp; Phil Foden is nevertheless waiting in the wings if required.
Meanwhile, Porto will be depleted defensively on Tuesday owing to the suspension of Jan Bednarek, who serves a one-game ban for the red card he received in last season's Europa League quarter-final second-leg loss to Nottingham Forest. In Bednarek's absence, Nehuen Perez should partner ex-Arsenal centre-back Jakub Kiwior, in what will be one of two enforced changes to Farioli's XI; promising midfielder Victor Froholdt was knocked unconscious against Moreirense and had to be rushed to hospital. Froholdt is now on the mend, but the 20-year-old is nevertheless on the sidelines alongside Vasco Sousa (leg), Oskar Pietuszewski (leg), Gabriel Mec (groin), Zaidu Sanusi (groin) and Samu Aghehowa (ACL).
Porto possible starting lineup: D. Costa; A. Costa, Perez, Kiwior, Moura; Fofana, Rosario, Veiga; Gomes, Silva, Pepe
Manchester City possible starting lineup: Donnarumma; Nunes, Guehi, Dias, Ait-Nouri; Anderson, Bouaddi; Semenyo, Cherki, Foden; Haaland
