Manchester City vs Crvena Zvezda Match Stats Preview

Manchester City vs Crvena Zvezda Match Stats Preview

Manchester City have never previously faced Crvena Zvezda in European competition – indeed, this is the first time they will face any side from Serbia.

Crvena Zvezda have won just one of their 11 away games against English sides in all competitions (D4 L6), beating Liverpool 2-1 in the 1973-74 European Cup.

This is the first time Crvena Zvezda have faced the reigning European champions in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League. However, they have faced the eventual winners of the competition in their previous two Champions League campaigns (Liverpool in 2018-19, Bayern Munich in 2019-20).

Holders Manchester City remained unbeaten in the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League campaign (W8 D5). Only once in the last 28 seasons have the competition holders lost their opening group stage match, with Liverpool going down 2-0 at Napoli in 2019-20.

This is Manchester City's 13th consecutive season in the UEFA Champions League. Having been eliminated at the group stages in each of their first two appearances, they've reached the knockout rounds in each of the last 10 campaigns.

Crvena Zvezda have lost all six of their away games in the UEFA Champions League to date, conceding 22 goals and only scoring twice in return. Two of those defeats came in England, losing 4-0 to Liverpool in 2018-19 and 5-0 to Tottenham Hotspur in 2019-20.

Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 13 games in the UEFA Champions League (W8 D5), all of which came last season en route to lifting the trophy. Only once in his managerial career has Pep Guardiola had a longer unbeaten run in the competition, going 16 without defeat in charge of Barcelona between March 2011 and April 2012.

Crvena Zvezda haven’t scored in any of their last four games in this competition (in 2019-20) – their longest ever run without a goal in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League.

Erling Haaland scored 12 goals in the UEFA Champions League last season, more than any other player. However, the Man City striker has failed to score in his last three appearances, his longest run without a goal in the competition.

Manchester City’s Jack Grealish created the most chances while under pressure of any player in the UEFA Champions League last season (28), while his total of 35 chances created was the most by an English player in a single edition of the tournament on record (since 2003-04).