Manchester City - AEK Athens

Erling Haaland remains the focal point for Manchester City as they look to regain momentum in the Champions League on 20 October 2026. Following a recent 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, the expected XI features a robust defensive line of Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol, supported by the creative midfield presence of Rayan Cherki and Jeremy Doku. Having secured a narrow 3-2 victory over Ipswich Town in their most recent domestic outing, City will aim to leverage their home advantage at Etihad Stadium to control the tempo and reassert their dominance in this matchday 3 fixture.

AEK Athens travel to England facing a significant challenge, especially with goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha sidelined due to injury. Alberto Brignoli is expected to start in his place behind a defensive unit led by Harold Moukoudi. While AEK managed a 3-0 win against OFI Crete recently, their last European outing resulted in a 3-1 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk. The visitors will look to Luka Jovic and Aboubakary Koita to exploit any gaps in the City transition, though they must remain disciplined against a side that has demonstrated a high-scoring capacity throughout the early season.