Man City vs Red Star Belgrade LIVE: Champions League result as Julian Alvarez hits double in comeback win
Man City 3-1 Red Star Belgrade: Alvarez scored twice after half time as the holders came from behind to begin their Champions League defence with three points
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Your support makes all the difference.Holders Manchester City recovered from falling a goal behind to outclass Red Star Belgrade 3-1 in their Group G opener with Julian Alvarez scoring twice at The Etihad.
Pep Guardiola's side dominated the opening period but were guilty of wayward finishing and trailed to a sucker-punch just before halftime as Osman Bukari broke clear to finish in style.
City began the game on a 26-match unbeaten run in Champions League home games and normal service was resumed almost immediately after the restart as Alvarez levelled after combining with Erling Haaland.
A misjudgement by Red Star keeper Omri Glazer allowed an Alvarez cross to go into the net on the hour and Rodri made it 3-1 with a clinical finish after 73 minutes as City made it 19 home wins in succession in all competitions.
Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland begin new Champions League rivarly after Messi-Ronaldo era
As Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup in Doha, Kylian Mbappe was “livid”. It of course wasn’t because of his former team-mate’s success. It was that Mbappe had missed his only chance to emulate Pele and win two World Cup finals by the age of 23. The Paris Saint-Germain star is said to be more aware of his legacy than perhaps any previous major player in history – certainly much more than Erling Haaland.
It is why he is now so singularly focused on the Champions League. That’s why he ultimately wants to go to Real Madrid. Watching Haaland lift it in June will have only added to that, all the more so because the Manchester City forward clearly doesn’t care quite as much. That isn’t to say he didn’t greatly want it, of course, but it’s one growing difference with Mbappe.
The Norwegian said only last week he didn’t care for that projected rivalry, either, and that might well be true. Those differences between Haaland and Mbappe will still define the next decade of football in the same way those between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo did the last decade.
Mbappe and Haaland begin new Champions League rivarly after Messi-Ronaldo era
In the first Champions League in a generation without either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, Haaland and Mbappe can fill the void as the clear new stars of the current game
Guardiola on winning the first Champions League game
Manchester City tend to come flying out of the blocks in the Champions League group stages as Pep Guardiola looks to win enough games to qualify for the knockout rounds as soon as possible. The City boss says this year will be no different.
"Every season we start the competition in the first game with the target to win the first game, then the group stage, then try to win the Champions League," said Guardiola on Monday.
"Nothing changes from before.
"The same for Red Star tomorrow [Tuesday]. It depends on our performance and our level. We’re incredibly happy to defend this crown but this competition doesn’t allow you mistakes.
"But always we were so strong at home, nine points from nine. When that happens you can win just one game away and you qualify. Tomorrow is the first step."
Team news!
Manchester City hand a first start to Matheus Nunes for their Champions League opener against Red Star. Sergio Gomez and Nathan Ake also come into the team that defeated West Ham 3-1 on Saturday, while Manuel Akanji, Josko Gvardiol and Jeremy Doku drop out.
Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Ake, Gomez, Rodri, Bernardo, Nunes, Foden, Alvarez, Haaland
Subs: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Phillips, Doku, Gvardiol, Akanji, Bobb, Lewis
Injuries plaguing Pep
Manchester City will be without John Stones, Jack Grealish, Mateo Kovacic and Kevin De Bruyne when they open their Champions League defence against Red Star Belgrade tonight.
All four are injured with defender Stones not playing since the Community Shield, midfielder Grealish suffering a knock before the international break. Kovacic was then injured while on Croatia duty and De Bruyne is out long term.
Can City cope without them?
Champions League 2023/24: Schedule, groups, fixtures and match dates
Newcastle United face a brutally tough draw on their return to the Champions League after being dropped in group F with Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan.
Manchester United are up against Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich in group A along with Turkish champions Galatasaray, and new striker Rasmus Hojlund will also face his old side Copenhagen.
Arsenal will play Europa League champions Sevilla as well as PSV Eindhoven and Lens, while holders Manchester City will take on RB Leipzig, Young Boys and Red Star Belgrade.
UEFA Champions League 2023/24 schedule - every game in the group stage
Holders Manchester City are joined by Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle and Celtic in the group stage of the Champions League
Man City vs Red Star Belgrade prediction
Red Star can be difficult opponents in the Champions League, but usually only at their home ground and they are likely to struggle to impose themselves against City.
They will try to utilise a vocal travelling support, but will be unable to stop the home side.
Man City 3-0 Red Star Belgrade
What is the team news?
Guardiola said after his side’s win at West Ham at the weekend that he would be forced to make changes to his line-up in the upcoming weeks to protect players, something which could come as soon as Tuesday.
City are due to play four matches in just 11 days, a tough ask for any team, especially considering that comes off the back of an international break that saw many members of the team travel as far as South America.
They will continue to be without the injured Kevin De Bruyne, while the match could also come too soon for John Stones, Jack Grealish and Mateo Kovacic.
How to watch Man City vs Red Star Belgrade
The match kicks off at 8pm BST on Tuesday 19 September at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.
Man City vs Red Star Belgrade will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 2 and TNT Sports Ultimate. it will be streamed live on the Discovery+ app and desktop website for subscribers.
Manchester City vs Red Star Belgrade
Good evening and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of Manchester City versus Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League.
Pep Guardiola’s treble winners are hoping to repeat their feat this season as they look to defend their title as European winners after they defeated Inter Milan in the Champions League final earlier this year.
They’ve been drawn in a favourable group and should progress to the knockout rounds without too much trouble. Guardiola will hope his team can make a statement win tonight after notching up five straight wins in the Premier League so far.
We’ll have all the build-up and updates ahead of kick off at 8pm.
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