Everyone’s favorite European competition, UEFA Champions League, kicks off as FC Porto take on Manchester City at the Estádio do Dragão. The last time we saw these two sides face off one another was back in December of 2020, in round 5 of the Champions league group stage, where FC Porto held Manchester City to a 0-0 draw at home in Porto. This fixture historically favors Manchester City, as the two sides have faced off on 4 separate occasions, in which City has won 3 of the 4 matches. Francesco Farioli’s side will look to get their first win over Manchester City, having had the best possible start to the season. The Portuguese champions started off with a 1-0 win over Torreense in the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, followed by 5 consecutive wins in the Primeira Liga. FC Porto currently sit 1st in the league, and across 6 matches played, they have scored 12 goals while conceding 1 goal which came in their recent comeback against Moreirense. Some of the players to look out for include Gabriel Veiga, Jakub Kiwior, William Gomes, Pepê, and Santiago Gimenez, who has joined on loan from AC Milan in hopes of regaining the goalscoring form he had back at Feyenoord after a very difficult season in Italy. Enzo Maresca’s side will travel to Portugal in hopes of ruining FC Porto’s winning streak and take the 3 points. Manchester City didn’t start off on the right foot, losing 3-0 to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in the Community Shield. Since then, things have improved, with City winning their 3 league matches over Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Coventry. Manchester City currently sit 1st in the league, with 7 goals scored and 5 conceded across all competitions. The Sky Blues have plenty of well-known names, but some players to look out for include Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki, Marc Guéhi, and Elliot Anderson. It won’t be a fully healthy squad with Jérémy Doku and Nico O’Reilly dealing with injuries. The Portuguese side will make their debut in the new Champions League format, hoping to replicate and better what their domestic rivals, Sporting CP, achieved in last season's edition. Meanwhile, Manchester City look to finish the league phase within the top 8 and hope to go further than last year’s round of 16 exit. Two sides with great domestic form and 3 points up for grabs will be a match to keep an eye on.