Manchester City look to move to within two wins of a maiden Champions League title as they take on Lyon at Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon in Portugal.
Both teams enter this match looking to reach the semi-finals for only the second time in their history, where Bayern Munich await the winners.
Team News
Embed from Getty ImagesMan City have a near full squad available for selection with Sergio Aguero representing their only absentee with a knee injury suffered in late June against Burnley.
Lyon have no injury concerns with a full squad available for selection.
Stat Attack
- Man City are winless in two previous meetings against Lyon of which both came in Group stage of last season’s Champions League (D1, L1).
- Lyon have won just one of their four Champions League games as the away team this season, which came against RB Leipzig last October.
- Gabriel Jesus has scored five goals in his last three Champions League appearances for Man City.
- Lyon are unbeaten in their last six matches against English opposition in all UEFA competitions (W4, D2), of which those results all came against North-West clubs in Liverpool, Everton plus Man City.
- City are unbeaten in four of their last six Champions League matches against French opposition (W2, D2, L2).
Prediction
Having failed to win both meetings last season against Lyon, I am expecting a tough encounter for Man City here and particularly given their unpredictability against French opposition on a whole.
Lyon meanwhile do tend to leak goals in this competition despite having a dangerously fast paced attacking style, which should suit City if they can get on front foot early and restrict Lyon’s play to mainly the flanks whilst defending well.
I therefore can see this being a scrappy end-to-end game if City aren’t careful but given that this is their best chance at winning this competition in case of one leg ties, I reckon City will edge this encounter.
Prediction: Manchester City 2-1 Lyon
Result: Manchester City 1-3 Lyon