Man City vs Porto Predicted XI as Enzo Maresca Plans Champions League Rotation
Manchester City head to Porto for their Champions League opener with Enzo Maresca doing what he said he would do, rotate. After a narrow 1-0 win over Coventry, secured by another Erling Haaland goal, the league form is intact. Now comes a different test, and a different team.
Maresca has already signalled his intention clearly. “We saw today with Ayyoub [Bouaddi], [Ryan] McAidoo, Iliman Ndiaye, they haven’t played in Champions League but they need to start, so on Tuesday they are going to start to get minutes in the Champions League.” That is direct enough. Expect changes, and expect them in attacking areas.
Champions League Rotation Starts in Porto
The main issue is fitness. Nico O’Reilly was supposed to start against Coventry but suffered a lower back problem in the warm-up. Iliman Ndiaye then went off with a knock, while Jeremy Doku is already out. Ndiaye has since been seen in training, which points towards availability, though there is still some uncertainty.
If he is fit, Ndiaye should start on the left. Ryan McAidoo is expected to come in on the right, with Enzo Fernandez operating centrally behind Haaland. It is a sensible call. City need fresh legs, and they also need to spread the workload early in the season.
Predicted Man City XI and Key Selection Calls
In midfield, Ayyoub Bouaddi should partner Elliot Anderson at the base. That pairing offers energy and gives established players a breather. Behind them, the back four could stay unchanged, Josko Gvardiol, Marc Guehi, Ruben Dias and Abdukodir Khusanov. Matheus Nunes is in the travelling squad and gives Maresca another option if he wants to alter the balance later in the match.
Haaland remains the headline name. Maresca has acknowledged the striker cannot play every game across four competitions, but this still looks like a night when City lean on their most reliable finisher.
City go into the game with O’Reilly and Doku unavailable, while Ndiaye remains a doubt until fully cleared. Even so, the squad has enough depth to handle the occasion.
Predicted XI: Donnarumma, Gvardiol, Guehi, Dias, Khusanov, Bouaddi, Anderson, Foden, Fernandez, McAidoo, Haaland.
Kick-off is at 8pm BST on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at the Estadio do Dragao.
