With Manchester City already qualified for the knockout stages atop Group C, Pep Guardiola could make changes as the Blues head for Croatia to face Dinamo Zagreb.
After a disappointing Manchester Derby defeat, City have the opportunity to put a bow on a successful Champions League group stage with an away trip to Dinamo Zagreb.
The home side have a lot on the line in this match, with a three-horse race for second spot in Group C coming down to the final matchday. Shakhtar Donetsk will qualify with a victory in their final match against Atalanta, while Dinamo will advance with a win if Shakhtar drop points. If the Croatian side drop points and Atalanta can win, they will complete an improbable comeback to qualify after having no points from their first three matches.
City will likely field a younger and rotated side to gain experience and momentum before the busy domestic season continues. According to the Manchester Evening News, John Stones and David Silva did not train, and Sergio Agüero will not travel with the side. Phil Foden is expected to start the match, and promising youngsters Tommy Doyle and Eric García could also get a chance in what is a dead rubber from a City perspective.
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This is the competition that will define the Blues’ season. 14 points adrift in the league of Liverpool and lagging behind Leicester in second, City will need to place all of their focus on the Champions League, and even in meaningless games like this, establishing rhythm and momentum is key. Since getting off to a flying start in Europe, they have been held to consecutive draws in the competition by Atalanta and Shakhtar and will look to get back to winning ways before the knockout stage.
Guardiola also confirmed that City are keen on Dinamo’s Dani Olmo, a 21-year old attacking midfielder and Spanish youth international.
This may not be the most important of matches from the Citizens’ point of view, but in what’s been a tough season so far, any momentum they can build could be huge moving forward.
Prediction: Manchester City 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb