Manchester City vs Juventus. UEFA Champions League Group D.
Etihad StadiumAttendance50,363.
Tuesday 15 September 2015 19:21, UK
Manchester City will be without striker Sergio Aguero for their opening Champions League group-stage fixture at home to Juventus on Tuesday.
The Argentina international was forced off during City's last-gasp victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
City, however, still managed to prevail as Kelechi Iheanacho's late effort sealed a fifth consecutive victory for the Premier League pacesetters.
Manuel Pellegrini's side have been dealt another tough hand in this season's competition, paired in the same group as last season's Serie A winners and Champions League runners-up, Juventus, Europa League winners Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach.
But City can head into Tuesday's game buoyed by their imperious early-season form, and can take comfort from the fact Juventus head to the Etihad Stadium having failed to win any of their first three league games.
Team news
Pellegrini will have both Raheem Sterling and David Silva available for the visit of the Italian champions after the pair missed Saturday's trip to Selhurst Park.
Samir Nasri and Fernandinho are expected to shake off minors knocks, while Wilfried Bony is expected to deputise for the injured Aguero.
Kevin De Bruyne could make his first start, and his Champions League debut, after impressing against Palace from the bench, but goal hero Iheanacho is ineligible while midfielder Fabian Delph and full-backs Gael Clichy and Pablo Zabaleta are still out.
Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio will miss the trip to Manchester after being ruled out of action for a month. The Italy international suffered an injury to his left abductor in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Chievo.
Opta stats
Manchester City have gone three games in European competition without a win against Juventus (D2 L1).
Juventus have failed to win any of their last six matches against a side from Manchester (D3 L3).
Manchester City are taking part in their fifth Champions League campaign. They have never made it past the last 16.
Manchester City have only won two of their last 10 Champions League games (D2 L6).
None of Manchester City's 28 Champions League games have ended goalless. They have only kept four clean sheets in these 28 games. Only Basel have played more games in the competition without ever registering a goalless draw.
Juventus are making their 16th appearance in the Champions League. Only AC Milan have made more appearances among Italian sides (17).
Betting
Manchester City are marginally odds-on at 4/5 with Sky Bet to begin their Champions League campaign with a win, as Juventus are rated 15/4 outsiders for the points and 12/5 to secure a draw. Pellegrini's men are also favoured in the Group D outright odds at evens to secure top spot to Juve's price of 2/1 despite the clubs' contrasting records in Europe's elite competition, while Sevilla (9/2) and Borussia Monchengladbach (11/1) are rated outsiders. Mario Mandzukic is considered the visitors' biggest threat at 13/2 to break the deadlock.