Manchester City Prepares for UEFA Champions League Clash with Slovan Bratislava

Manchester City is set to face Slovan Bratislava in Slovakia for their second fixture in the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 season. The match will take place on Tuesday, October 1, at the Tehelné pole stadium in Bratislava. With kickoff scheduled for 8 p.m. BST, Pep Guardiola‘s team is seeking their first win in the new league phase format after a 0-0 draw against Inter Milan in their opening match.

City enters the game eager to reclaim form after a string of uncharacteristic results, including a recent 1-1 draw against Newcastle United in the Premier League. Guardiola’s squad has secured only one victory in their last four outings, a sequence highlighting the impact of the season-long loss of Rodri due to a knee injury.

Pep Guardiola anticipates a challenging encounter against the Slovakian champions, despite their perceived vulnerability following a 5-1 defeat to Celtic in their first European match. In a press conference, Guardiola emphasized the strength and courage displayed by Slovan Bratislava in their previous matches, stating, “This is a team that I would say plays with courage. I saw the game against Glasgow Celtic and they were not scared to play.”

Manchester City will also be without several key players for this match. Spanish midfielder Rodri is out for the rest of the season following ACL and meniscus surgery. Kevin De Bruyne remains sidelined with an ongoing thigh issue but is expected to return after the October international break. Despite these absences, Guardiola expressed confidence in the depth of his squad, assuring that “Everybody is ready – we will put out the best team possible to compete and beat them.”

Slovan Bratislava, though struggling against English teams historically, will aim to upset the odds on home turf. Their last match against an English side resulted in a double loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 2019/20 Europa League group stage. The team showed resilience with domestic victories, winning seven out of eight matches and currently leading the Slovak Super Liga.

The game is accessible to global audiences through various broadcasters. In the United Kingdom, TNT Sports will provide live coverage, while fans in the United States can stream the match via Paramount Plus. Canadian viewers will have access through DAZN, and Stan Sport holds the rights to stream the game in Australia.