Man City vs Club Brugge preview, team news, stats, kick-off
Manchester City have no fresh injury concerns ahead of Wednesday's clash with Club Brugge; follow with our dedicated live blog across Sky Sports' digital platforms and on Gillette Soccer Special live on Sky Sports News and Sky Sports Premier League
Wednesday 3 November 2021 19:35, UK
Team news and stats ahead of Man City vs Club Brugge in the Champions League group stage on Wednesday; kick-off 8pm.
Team news
Manchester City have no fresh injury concerns ahead of Wednesday's clash with Club Brugge.
Ferran Torres remains out with a fractured foot, but Aymeric Laporte's sending off against Crystal Palace is not relevant for European competition.
Club Brugge have Eder Balanta suspended, meaning Ruud Vormer and Mats Rits should line up in midfield.
- Champions League fixtures | Results | Group tables
- How to watch Manchester derby: Free highlights straight after FT
How to follow
Follow live updates on SkySports.com and the Sky Sports app from 6.30pm on Wednesday; kick-off 8pm. Also follow on Gillette Soccer Special live on Sky Sports News and Sky Sports Premier League from 7pm.
Pep: Brugge more important than Manchester derby
Live Premier League
Pep Guardiola insists Manchester City's Champions League clash with Club Brugge on Wednesday is more important than the derby against Manchester United on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
The Premier League side ran out 5-1 winners when the sides met a fortnight ago but Guardiola is not taking anything for granted ahead of the return.
Guardiola said: "I think this game is much more important than the United game.
"This gives us an incredible chance to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League. In the Premier League there are many games, in the Champions League just six, and there are not many left.
"Games three and four are the most important. I'm pretty sure they will adjust things to punish us. We have to adjust to get better. It will be a completely different game."
Opta stats
- Manchester City have won six of their seven games against Belgian opponents in European competition (L1), including a 5-1 victory in their only previous meeting with Club Brugge.
- Club Brugge are looking for their first victory against English opponents in European competition since February 1995 (1-0 v Chelsea in the Cup Winners' Cup), having failed to win any of their last 13 attempts (D3 L10).
- Manchester City have scored 21 goals across their previous seven games against Belgian opponents, at an average of three per game. Their 5-1 win against Club Brugge last time out was the joint-most goals a team has scored away to the Belgian side in the UEFA Champions League, along with Paris Saint-Germain's 5-0 win there in October 2019.
- Club Brugge have never won away from home against an English side in European competition, while this will be their 14th attempt at doing so. They've lost 11 of their previous 13 such games, drawing twice.
- Manchester City have won 80 per cent of their home games in the UEFA Champions League since Pep Guardiola took charge of the club (20/25 - D2 L3). Among those with 20+ home games managed, this is the highest win percentage by a coach with a single club in the competition.
