Manchester City vs Club Brugge Prediction - Champions League

Matthew O’Regan has readied a Manchester City vs Club Brugge prediction preview in what is a crucial game for both sides. The hosts know they need a win to secure their passage into the next round, while Brugge know all they need is a draw to progress in place of City. 

Club Brugge will be keen to avoid a repeat of the two previous meetings in 2021, losing 4-1 and 1-5 in the group stages. The Bookmakers don’t give them much chance of causing a shock, pricing the Belgian side as massive 13.00 underdogs for the win and 8.00 for the draw. 

Manchester City vs Club Brugge Prediction: Shaky Home Backline

England, Champions League , Wednesday , January 29th, 20:00 (UK)

After a breathtaking start to the Champions League campaign, scoring nine goals, conceding zero and gaining seven points from three, no one would’ve expected Manchester City desperately needing a win to qualify. However, one point from the next four and 13 goals conceded has left the 2023 champions in dire straits. 

The Citizens started the campaign with a 0-0 draw against defeated 2023 finalists Inter Milan, before defeating Slovakian side Slovan Bratislava 0-4 and Czech side Sparta Prague 5-0. However, from here their league and Champions League form imploded, losing consecutive away games to Tottenham (2-1), Bournemouth (2-1) Sporting Lisbon (4-1) and Brighton (2-1) before being dismantled 0-4 by Tottenham at the Etihad. City then conceded three goals in the last 15 minutes to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord, followed by a 2-0 loss at Juventus to put their qualification chances in jeopardy. 

Pep Guardiola must’ve thought his side were home and dry after heading into a 0-2 lead at PSG, but yet another collapse saw them lose 4-2 – a familiar sight for City. In their last 20 games, Man City have kept just four clean sheets – coming at home to Nottingham Forest (1.04 xGa), away to Leicester (1.30 xGa) at home to League Two Salford (0.89xGa) and away at Ipswich (0.58xGa). 

City look a shadow of the side who won four Premier League titles on the bounce, conceding 30 goals in the Premier League and 13 in seven Champions League games. The signings of young defenders Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov from Palmeiras and Lens respectively hopefully shores up the defence, but the Uzbeki struggled in his debut and was hooked after 54 minutes. 

While the hosts are heavy favourites for this game, Club Brugge are a force to be reckoned with and are now unbeaten in 20 games in all competitions. Nicky Hayen’s side know a point would be enough to qualify. BTTS has landed in 7/11 away league games and 15/23 total. Brugge have scored in 5/7 Champions League games and will be hopeful of getting on the scoresheet against an out-of-sorts Manchester City side. The last two meetings between the sides saw the Belgian’s get on the scoresheet in heavy defeats (4-1 & 1-5). A repeat of this would see the bet win. 

• Manchester City vs Club Brugge Prediction: Both Teams To Score (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.95
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 10/10 (TRACKED BET)

Manchester City vs Club Brugge Prediction odds via bet365 as at 11:00, January 29th, 2025 Odds may now differ.

Manchester City vs Club Brugge Injuries, Team News and Possible Lineups Prediction

With club captain Kyle Walker now at AC Milan, Mathues Nunes is likely to fill in at right back again. John Stones should start in place of new signing Abdukodir Khusanov, while the creativity of midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne could be called upon against a Club Brugge side that may look to frustrate.

On the injury front, Jeremy Doku, Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias, Rodri and Oscar Bobb remain out, while Club Brugge have a clean slate heading into this crunch encounter. 

Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Nunes, Stones, Akanji, Gvardiol; Kovacic, De Bruyne, Foden; Savinho, Haaland, Grealish

Club Brugge possible starting lineup:
Mignolet; Sabbe, Ordonez, Mechele, De Cuyper; Jashari, Vanaken, Vetlesen; Skora, Tzolis; Jutgla

Match OPTA Stats:

• Manchester City won both of their previous meetings with Club Brugge, winning 5-1 away and 4-1 at home  during the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League group stage.  
• Club Brugge have never won away to English opposition in European competition in 14 previous attempts  (D2 L12 – qualifiers included); only RSC Anderlecht (19 games) and Dynamo Kyiv (15 games) have played  more such games without ever recording a win in England.  
• Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 33 UEFA Champions League matches at the Etihad (W28 D5),  although three of their last four have ended as stalemates, losing a three-goal lead against Feyenoord to  draw 3-3 last time out. 
• Failure to win this game will see Manchester City eliminated from the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League.  Pep Guardiola’s side have thrown away two 2+ goal leads in the competition this term (3-3 vs Feyenoord,  2-4 vs PSG) – the only side to do so in three games in a single European Cup campaign were Reims in the  inaugural edition in 1955-56. 
• Club Brugge are unbeaten in their last four matches in the UEFA Champions League (W2 D2), while only  once previously have they had a longer run without defeat within the same European Cup/Champions  League campaign (five games in 1976-77).  

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