Man City vs Napoli LIVE!
Erling Haaland became the fastest player to score 50 Champions League goals during Man City’s comfortable 2-0 win over 10-man Napoli at the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s side opened their European campaign with a straightforward three points that was given to them by Haaland, who scored his 50th goal in just 49 Champions League fixtures, beating Ruud van Nistelrooy’s previous record of 62. It was the Norwegian’s header that broke the deadlock as the hosts began to get frustration, as he converted Phil Foden’s creative and delicate clip over the visiting defence, nodding into the corner on 56 minutes.
Ten minutes later, Jeremy Doku doubled the lead later in the second half with a superb dart into the box, before finishing with aplomb past Vanja Milinkovic-Savic. City’s task had been made a bit easier by the dismissal of Giovanni di Lorenzo in the first half after he was adjudged to have denied Haaland a clear goalscoring opportunity, and a tactical reshuffle from Antonio Conte curtailed Kevin De Bruyne’s fairytale return to his former club after his departure on a free transfer in the summer.
The Belgian was given a hero’s welcome as he warmed up and as he left the field by all sides of the stadium that he used to call home. There is a sterner test, however, for City this weekend, when they take on familiar foes Arsenal in a huge title clash at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Man City vs Napoli latest news
- GOAL! Doku makes it two
- GOAL! Haaland opens scoring
- De Bruyne subbed off
- RED CARD! Di Lorenzo sent off
- How to watch: TNT Sports
Conte explains early De Bruyne sub as Man City return ended prematurely
22:31 , Oli GentAntonio Conte has explained why Kevin De Bruyne was hauled off early on his return to the Etihad Stafdium during Napoli’s 2-0 defeat to Man City.
Haaland breaks Champions League record as Man City make winning start
22:00 , Oli GentErling Haaland brought up 50 Champions League goals in his young career as Man City brushed Napoli aside to claim three points in their first European game of the campaign.
FT: Man City 2-0 Napoli
21:53 , Oli GentThere we have it. City are victorious on matchday one, and Haaland has broken a record to boot.
Thanks for joining us on Standard Sport, be sure to come back very soon for even more LIVE Champions League action.
Man City 2-0 Napoli
21:51 , Oli Gent90 mins: Two added minutes.
Man City 2-0 Napoli
21:48 , Oli Gent87 mins: Buongiorno is down ho9lding his face after taking Bobb’s boot on the ground. He’s ok, though, and we continue.
Man City 2-0 Napoli
21:44 , Oli Gent83 mins: Tactically for City, Bobbs has taken up a false nine role in place of Haaland. Savinho is now wide left, with Nico holding the midfield. Ake is in at centre-back, and Lewis is in midfield.
Man City 2-0 Napoli
21:40 , Oli Gent80 mins: Reijnders is replaced by Rico Lewis, Haaland is brought off for Oscar Bobb, and Gvardiol makes way for Nathan Ake.
Man City 2-0 Napoli
21:36 , Oli Gent76 mins: The tempo of this game has slowed with Napoli knowing that they are a beaten side. City are in full control.
Man City 2-0 Napoli
21:32 , Oli Gent72 mins: Triple change for Napoli, with Elmas replacing Anguissa, Hojlund off for David Neres, and Lobotka replaced by Gilmour.
Man City 2-0 Napoli
21:29 , Oli Gent69 mins: Savinho replaces the goalscorer Doku.
Goal! Man City 2-0 Napoli
21:26 , Oli Gent66 mins: That is sublime from Doku, who makes it two! He deserves that, as he dances between the bodies to slide it beyond Milinkovic-Savic! He gets it and spins on a sixpence, darting into the box and finishing with aplomb.
Man City 1-0 Napoli
21:24 , Oli Gent65 mins: That Haaland goal was his 50th Champions League strike of his young career.
He becomes the fastest player to reach the milestone, needing just 49 games!
Man City 1-0 Napoli
21:21 , Oli Gent63 mins: In the other game concerning an English side tonight, Newcastle are down to a Marcus Rashford goal against Barcelona at St James’ Park!
Man City 1-0 Napoli
21:20 , Oli Gent61 mins: Rodri is replaced by Nico.
Man City 1-0 Napoli
21:19 , Oli Gent59 mins: Foden has been instrumental for the hosts tonight. He has been everywhere, constantly showing for the ball. It’s so refreshing to see him back to his best.
Goal! Man City 1-0 Napoli
21:17 , Oli Gent56 mins: Man City finally break the deadlock, and it’s Erling Haaland! Foden is the architect, with a lovely clip over the top for the striker to nod it over Milinkovic-Savic and into the net!
Man City 0-0 Napoli
21:15 , Oli Gent55 mins: Juan Jesus is coming on for the visitors, replacing Politano. That must mean that Beukema will move out to right-back.
Man City 0-0 Napoli
21:12 , Oli Gent53 mins: Yellow card for Politano, who receives a yellow for a cynical pull-back on Doku.
Man City 0-0 Napoli
21:11 , Oli Gent51 mins: Good work from Foden and City who are patient. Foden goes for the pot-shot, but drags it just wide.
Man City 0-0 Napoli
21:10 , Oli Gent50 mins: Foden’s delivery is glanced away by Beukema, and the second phase is worked from side to side. Rodri’s pass towards Doku is loose, and the chance is gone.
Man City 0-0 Napoli
21:09 , Oli Gent49 mins: The second 45 has started as the first ended. Plenty of City pressure, as Reijnders and Doku link up again. The Dutchman is found on the underlap, and forces a corner off Beukema.
Kick off!
21:05 , Oli Gent46 mins: We’re back underway.
HT: Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:50 , Oli GentThere’s the interval, and we are goalless.
We’ve had plenty of chances, and a red card for good measure.
What will the second half have in store?
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:48 , Oli Gent45+3 mins: Close! Reijnders thinks he’s scored, as his sidefoot is diverted goalwards by Politano’s foot, and the stand-in Napoli captain is mightily relieved to see that Milinkovic-Savic has saved it!
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:46 , Oli Gent45+1 mins: Four added minutes.
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:46 , Oli Gent45 mins: Close! Reijnders looks for an improvised flicked backwards header from Foden’s delicate cross, and it just flies over the bar!
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:43 , Oli Gent43 mins: Close! Gvardiol lines another up, moving forward from centre-back, and he has a pop from range, which just misses the far post!
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:42 , Oli Gent41 mins: More City pressure as Milinkovic-Savic flaps at another corner, but the Serbian makes amends as he keeps out O’Reilly’s header, and then Gvardiol from the resulting corner!
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:38 , Oli Gent38 mins: Great save! Milinkovic-Savic is called into action once more as Silva crosses, and Buongiorno clears. Only as far as Rodri who strikes from the edge of the area, but the Napoli ‘keeper is down to it to keep him out!
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:37 , Oli Gent36 mins: Dias channels his inner De Bruyne and delivers a cross from the right half-space in towards Haaland. The striker throws his giant frame at the far post, but it just evades him.
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:34 , Oli Gent34 mins: It’s whipped in, but Donnarumma catches with ease.
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:34 , Oli Gent33 mins: The Napoli travelling support are still making noise behind the goal despite their side being a man down.
They’re really going to have to sing their side to the finish line here.
Up the field, Politano does well down the right, plucking a long punt out of the sky as O’Reilly comes across to slide the ball behind.
Corner for the ten men.
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:31 , Oli Gent31 mins: Good effort from Foden, who drifts into a pocket of space centrally. It’s fired into him by Rodri, and the England international kills it, spins on a sixpence and strikes, but it’s straight down the throat of the Napoli ‘keeper.
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:31 , Oli Gent29 mins: Corner, City. Khusanov has more licence to get forward from right-back now, and he tries to flash in a low cross which is cleared by Olivera.
Foden comes across to take the corner, which Milinkovic-Savic punches clear.
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:27 , Oli Gent26 mins: Mathias Olivera is coming on for the Serie A side, replacing Kevin De Bruyne.
The entire ground chants his name. The Belgian looks very disappointed at being withdrawn.
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:25 , Oli Gent24 mins: It’s now a 4-4-1 shape for the visitors, who will just have to weather the storm that is coming for them.
Reijnders and Doku work it really nicely. and it’s delivered by the Dutchman for Haaland coming in! But the Norwegian’s header whistles just over the top! Good chance!
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:23 , Oli Gent23 mins: Free kick, City. Reijnders and Foden are over it.
Reijnders hits it, straight into the wall, and it’ll be a corner.
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:21 , Oli Gent21 mins: Red card! Di Lorenzo sees red, and the Napoli skipper is sent off!
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:21 , Oli Gent20 mins: Red card check! Man City break as Haaland streaks clear, and Di Lorenzo lunges in and brings down the Norwegian!
The reply shows he hasn’t got the ball, but did he deny a clear goalscoring opportunity?
The referee goes to the monitor...
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:18 , Oli Gent18 mins: Close! Corner for Napoli, and Beukema makes first contact and nods towards goal, but Donnarumma keeps him out! Hojlund can’t bundle in the rebound! What a chance!
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:16 , Oli Gent15 mins: Corner, City. Doku and O’Reilly play it nicely down the left as the Belgian winger looks to dart to the byline and get a cross in. Politano does well to block, and the hosts have a set play. It’s played in towards Haaland, who nods over the top.
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:13 , Oli Gent12 mins: Spinazzola looks to tease Khusanov down the Napoli left, but the City right-back does well to stand his ground and stop the cross. City turn over the ball and break, looking to work it through the thirds between Foden and Haaland.
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:10 , Oli Gent9 mins: Close! That’s the first save that Milinkovic-Savic has needed to make as Reijnders cuts in off the left and has a pop, which stings the palms of the Napoli goalkeeper.
Corner, City, which Foden takes... into the path of Doku who is unmarked at the far post. He tries to take it down and take a touch before striking, but he’s crowded out quickly!
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:07 , Oli Gent6 mins: Doku comes infield and bursts into the space in the middle. He gets the pass wrong but then gets it back and is fouled by Politano, or so he thinks, and the ball is turned over. That could have been a real chance for City to work something dangerous.
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:06 , Oli Gent5 mins: Napoli are looking direct for Hojlund in the channels, but unlike his parent club Manchester United, they are getting bodies around the Dane.
Man City 0-0 Napoli
20:03 , Oli Gent3 mins: It’s another 4-1-4-1 shape for Napoli, although De Bruyne will drop next to Lobotka when out of possession.
The Belgian looks to be given free roam when the visitors are on the ball. McTominay is off the left, as expected.
Kick off!
20:01 , Oli Gent1 min: We are underway.
The players are out!
19:58 , Oli GentTime for the Champions League anthem.
Man City vs Napoli head-to-head
19:40 , Oli GentThis will be just a fifth competitive meeting between the two sides and first since the group phase during the 2017-2018 season.
Man City wins: 2
Napoli wins: 1
Draws: 1
Man City vs Napoli odds
19:27 , Oli GentMan City to win: 4/7
Napoli to win: 7/2
Draw: 12/5
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).
De Bruyne starts!
19:20 , Oli GentSo he does start!
The Belgian will play from the off against his former side, tucked in as one of the free-roaming eights in Antonio Conte’s 4-1-4-1 system.
Scott McTominay, the former Manchester United midfielder, also returns to the north-west, but will operate in a less orthodox left-sided role, moving infield to add further goalscoring threat.
Andre-Franck Zambo Anguissa is the other No8 alongside De Bruyne, and you’d expect the former Fulham man to pick up the 34-year-old’s defensive slack.
Rasmus Hojlund also starts up top with plenty to prove.
Napoli lineup
19:10 , Oli GentConfirmed Napoli XI: M-Savic, Di Lorenzo, Beukema, Buongiorno, Spinazzola, Lobotka, Politano, Anguissa, De Bruyne, McTominay, Hojlund
Subs: Ambrosino, Elmas, Ferrante, Gilmour, Gutierrez, Lang, Lucca, Meret, Neres, Jesus, Olivera, Vergara.
City lineup analysed
19:00 , Oli GentSo no changes from the win over Manchester United last time out for Pep Guardiola.
He plumps for exactly the same side, the same back four, the same midfield, everything.
Phil Foden continues after his impressive performance from a central area, while Bernardo Silva gets the nod wide right.
Josko Gvardiol is at centre-back with Nico O’Reilly outside him on the left, and Abdukodir Khusanov is at right-back once more, with Ruben Dias on his side.
Man City lineup
18:46 , Oli GentConfirmed Man City XI: Donnarumma, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Rodri, Silva, Reijnders, Foden, Doku, Haaland
Subs: Trafford, Bettenelli, Ake, Nico, Savinho, Nunes, Bobb, Mukasa, Lewis, Mfuni
10 years on
18:40 , Oli GentKevin de Bruyne made his debut for Man City 10 years ago in 2015.
A decade on, he returns to the Etihad Stadium wearing a different shade of blue and a different colour crest on his chest.
When Kevin De Bruyne made his Man City debut in 2015 🔵
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 18, 2025
10 years later, he is set to return to the Etihad with Napoli in the Champions League... pic.twitter.com/gIzXG89pjm
Will de Bruyne start tonight?
18:30 , Oli GentHe’s part of the squad, but will Kevin de Bruyne play against his former employers this evening?
He returns to English soil for the first time since departing the Etihad Stadium for Naples in the summer.
Will he start? Will he feature off the bench?
Standard Sport prediction
18:20 , Oli GentAs strange as it may sound, Man City were not spectacular despite beating Man United 3-0. While the scoreline was indeed convincing, a large part of the performance was not and they can expect a sterner test against Napoli.
Conte will have his side well-drilled defensively with the hope of catching the hosts on the counter attack. Nothing can be won or lost on the first matchday and we can see this one ending all square.
Draw, 1-1.
Napoli team news
18:10 , Oli GentNapoli should be the fresher of the two teams having played a day before Man City at the weekend and Antonio Conte has no fresh injury concerns with Romelu Lukaku the big-name absentee.
De Bruyne is likely to start against his former club alongside ex-Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay with Rasmus Hojlund, on loan from the Red Devils, set to lead the line having scored on his Napoli debut against Fiorentina.
Man City team news
18:00 , Oli GentMan City could welcome back John Stones from injury after the central defender missed the Manchester derby at the weekend with a knock suffered while on international duty with England.
Mateo Kovacic and Rayan Cherki are long-term absentees, Omar Marmoush misses out with a knee injury, Rayan Ait-Nouri is doubtful and Kalvin Phillips is ineligible due to not being named in City’s Champions League squad.
As this fixture falls just three days before a trip to Arsenal in the Premier League, it’s likely to be balancing act for Guardiola in terms of the team selection.
Rodri could be rested while the likes of Savinho, Oscar Bobb, Matheus Nunes and Rico Lewis will be pushing for starts.
How to watch
17:45 , Oli GentTV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on TNT Sports. Coverage starts at 7pm BST on TNT Sports 2 ahead of the 8pm kick-off.
Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Discovery+ app and website.
Hello and welcome!
17:30 , Oli Gent... to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Manchester City’s Champions League opener against Napoli.
Kevin de Bruyne returns home for the first time since his departure, and he is in the Serie A side’s squad this evening.
Kick off is slated for 8pm BST, so stay tuned for all the updates.
