Manchester City vs Sparta Prague

Etihad Stadium forms the backdrop for a ‘David vs Goliath’ UEFA Champions League clash between Manchester City and Sparta Prague.

Manchester City achieved a piece of club history at the weekend when they overhauled an early deficit in a 2-1 win at Wolverhampton, making it 31 unbeaten matches straight in the Premier League for the first time. Buoyed by another stoppage-time winner, Pep Guardiola’s men return to their Champions League duties after a mixed start (W1, D1), seeking a 12th consecutive undefeated game in 2024/25, all competitions included (W8, D3). Chances are they’ll get there, not least because they’ve not lost 32 European matches at the Etihad (W28, D4)! Accomplishing that feat would see the perennial Premier League champions make an outright Champions League record for the longest unbeaten run (26). But they shouldn’t get too complacent, knowing a 4-0 humbling of Slovan Bratislava last time out remains their only win in four Champions League games.

In the meantime, Sparta Prague netted a late winner at the weekend to end a two-game losing domestic run and stay within touching distance of the Czech First League pacesetters Slavia. Despite their recent slumps on the domestic front, Lars Friis’ men have excelled in Europe, following up a 3-0 thrashing of RB Salzburg with a spirited 1-1 draw at Stuttgart last time out. Bringing the summer qualifying fixtures into the equation, the visitors are unbeaten in eight consecutive Champions League outings (W6, D2), accounting for their best run in the competition’s history. However, that record means nothing compared to Sparta’s long-standing struggles on English shores, with the Czech outfit losing six of their last seven European away games against Premier League clubs (D1).