Preview: Man City vs. AEK Atenas · prediction, team news, line-ups

Manchester City host AEK Athens at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, 20 October, kicking off at 8pm BST in matchday three of the Champions League league phase.

The Citizens sit 17th with three points and a goal difference of zero. The Greek champions are 20th, also on three points, with a goal difference of minus one.

Match preview

City arrive with a strong domestic record and a shaky European one. They have won seven straight Premier League games, the latest a 3-2 victory over Ipswich Town on 17 October.

In the Champions League, they lost 4-2 at home to Paris Saint Germain on 14 October. That is their only home game of the league phase so far, with two goals scored and four conceded. Their away trip brought a 2-0 win.

Before that, Enzo Maresca's side won 3-0 at Liverpool, beat Sunderland 5-3 and thrashed Norwich 5-0 in the League Cup. They score freely, but they shipped two, four and three goals in their last three Etihad outings. Erling Haaland leads the squad with four goals.

AEK Athens, the Greek champions, are in their first Champions League campaign since 2018-19. They have three points from two games, winning 1-0 at home before a 3-1 defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk on 14 October.

Domestically, Marko Nikolic's men beat OFI 3-0 on 10 October and won 2-1 at Volos on 20 September. They also hammered Panserraikos 8-1 in the cup.

Luka Jovic and Barnabas Varga have four league goals each this season. Neither has scored in the Champions League league phase yet. Marc Guehi has already flagged Jovic as a threat on the counter.

This is the first Champions League meeting between the clubs and AEK's first visit to the Etihad. City are unbeaten in four European games against Greek sides, with three wins, one draw and no goals conceded.

AEK have never won an away game in the competition proper, with five draws and 11 defeats. They have also lost seven of their last eight Champions League matches against English clubs.

The context matters. Both sides are outside the top eight, and City need points to close in on a direct place in the last 16. After the PSG defeat, the pressure sits with the hosts, who also have a Premier League game on Saturday to consider.

Team news

City will be without Antoine Semenyo, who has a knee injury and is expected to be out for around eight weeks. Nico O'Reilly is also unlikely to feature with a back problem. Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes were withdrawn against Ipswich and are doubtful.

Haaland is a doubt after a knock in that game, although Maresca said he is available. Several British outlets expect him to be rested given the schedule. If so, Phil Foden would operate as a false nine, with Enzo Fernandez behind him and Ayyoub Bouaddi and Elliot Anderson in midfield.

AEK have a clean bill of health and a full week of preparation. The only reported absentee is goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha, with a hand injury, who is expected back for the Real Madrid game on 4 November. Jovic and Varga are expected to lead the line.