Manchester City – FC Copenhagen : Preview & Prediction
Reigning UEFA Champions League champions Manchester City prepared for the second leg of their Round of 16 tie against Copenhagen with a thrilling comeback win over arch-rivals Manchester United. They are now 19 games unbeaten in all competitions (G17, E2), and as they turn their attention back to European action, Pep Guardiola’s side have a good chance of securing a place in the quarter-finals after winning the first leg 3-1 in Denmark.
That makes it seven wins in seven games in this competition so far this season, a streak in which they have surprisingly scored at least three goals in every game. That winning streak seems unlikely to end anytime soon given that City are unbeaten in a whopping 29 European matches at the Etihad Stadium (G27, E2), so UEFA Champions League nights at this venue have become very comfortable for City. The English side scored 14 goals and conceded none in the knockout games on their way to last season’s final.
Copenhagen face arguably the most daunting journey in European soccer in only their second appearance in the Round of 16, and the difficulty was not lost on coach Jacob Neestrup when he described Manchester City as the toughest possible opponent ahead of the first leg. If the “Lions” are to pull off one of the biggest upsets in UEFA Champions League history, then they will need to win away from home against an English club for the first time after seven previous failed attempts (E2, P5).
Neestrup’s men find history firmly against them heading into that potential feat, as Copenhagen have won just one of their last 15 away games in the UEFA Champions League proper (E4, P10). That includes a 5-0 loss here in the group stage last season, and having been beaten 2-0 at home to Midtjylland last weekend, a result that also saw them lose ground in their own title race domestically, must have them feeling pretty low on confidence heading into this trip to England.
Players to watch: A brace against United on Sunday took Phil Foden’s goal tally for the campaign to 18 goals, his career-best tally in a single season. He has scored five of his last six goals after the break, including the goal he scored in the previous meeting between these two sides. With injury doubts surrounding other attackers, Elias Achouri could make an impact for Copenhagen after scoring and assisting in the team’s last win.
Key stat: Manchester City is unbeaten in its last 21 European matches (G16, E5), which is an all-time record for English teams.
Manchester City – FC Copenhagen : Betting Tips
Manchester City – Win Odds: 1.25
