Manchester City and AEK Athens prepare for Champions League showdown

Manchester City and AEK Athens are set to face off tomorrow at 22:00 in the third round of the Champions League League Phase at the Etihad Stadium. AEK traveled to England with a mostly healthy squad, reporting only the absence of goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha, who remained in Athens to recover. Coach Marko Nikolic is expected to finalize his lineup shortly, with key players like Brignoli, Rota, Pilios, Mukoudi, Relvas, Marin, Mayer, Koita, and Jovic confirmed as starters.

Manchester City enters the match with several injury concerns. Manager Enzo Maresca confirmed that Antoine Semenyo is sidelined for eight weeks. Furthermore, star striker Erling Haaland missed the final training session due to minor discomfort following the match against Ipswich, casting doubt on his participation. Alongside Haaland, Matheus Nunes, Nico O'Reilly, and Mateo Kovacic also missed training, making their availability uncertain. Maresca noted that final decisions regarding the lineup will be made on the day of the match. AEK manager Nikolic emphasized the challenge of facing a top-tier European opponent while expressing confidence in his team's ability to remain competitive by sticking to their established style of play.