It’s easy to pick out the main storyline when Napoli visits Manchester City on Thursday night- the return of Kevin de Bruyne. It’s going to be a very surreal moment- seeing De Bruyne at The Etihad, taking to the pitch while wearing the shirt of the opponent. A legend among club legends, he’ll receive a very warm welcome from the crowd.
After all, a KDB statue is currently in the works.
UEFA Champions League Matchday 1 of 8
Manchester City vs Napoli
Kickoff: Thurs. Sept 18, 8pm, Etihad, Manchester, UK
Preview Material for Both Sides: Team News Starting XI Predictions
Team News for Both Sides
Elsewhere John Stones is dealing with an unspecified muscular injury, of some sort, but it is thought to be minor. He could be in the mix here if he passes a late fitness test.
Otherwise the injury situation is unchanged at City, with the likes of Omar Marmoush (knee), Rayan Cherki (undisclosed issue), Rayan Ait-Nouri (ankle), Marcus Bettinelli (unspecified issue), Mateo Kovacic (Achilles recovery rehab) and Kalvin Phillips (also Achilles injury, rehabilitation) all remaining sidelined for the time being.
Shifting gears to Napoli, there long-term injured list is long and it starts with a long-time Premier League veteran, Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea x 2, United, Everton). Big Rom has a serious knee injury while Amir Rrahmani, Nikita Contini, Alex Meret, Luca Marianucci and Pasquale Mazzocchi are all injured.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter