Manchester City opened their European league-phase campaign with a commanding display as the Man City vs SSC Napoli lineups revealed mirrored tactical approaches before the hosts secured a 2-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium.
The match began late in the evening at 11:00 PM on September 18, 2025 in Manchester, where Pep Guardiola’s side controlled possession throughout and eventually broke Napoli resistance in the second half.
Erling Haaland scored first before Jérémy Doku sealed the result after the visitors had been reduced to ten men earlier in the contest.
• Champions League league phase fixture
• Played in front of 49,531 fans
• Manchester City earned three points
Both teams selected a 4-1-4-1 structure which emphasised midfield control and wide attacking transitions.
Manchester City started Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal behind Josko Gvardiol, Nathan Aké, Rúben Dias and Abdukodir Khusanov.
Rodri held midfield while Jérémy Doku, Tijjani Reijnders, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva supported Erling Haaland.
Napoli also used a single holding midfielder with Vanja Milinkovic-Savic in goal behind Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Alessandro Buongiorno, Sam Beukema and Leonardo Spinazzola.
Stanislav Lobotka anchored midfield with Scott McTominay, Frank Anguissa, Matteo Politano and Kevin De Bruyne playing behind Rasmus Højlund.
• Identical tactical systems
• Central midfield battle decisive
• City wingers provided width
Napoli’s night became complicated when Giovanni Di Lorenzo was sent off in the 21st minute, forcing a defensive approach for the remainder of the game.
City dominated thereafter and finally broke through in the 56th minute when Haaland scored his milestone Champions League goal.
Nine minutes later Doku finished the match after a flowing attacking move.
• Turning point red card
• Haaland milestone strike
• Doku confirmed victory
Manchester City dominated every major metric, reflecting territorial control and attacking pressure.
Napoli relied heavily on goalkeeper saves to prevent a heavier defeat.
• City overwhelming possession
• Napoli limited chances
• Goalkeeper heavily tested
Guardiola’s system focused on stretching the pitch through wide players Doku and Foden while Rodri maintained positional balance.
Napoli compressed space centrally after the dismissal and attempted counterattacks through Politano and Højlund but rarely threatened.
The decisive factor was City’s patience in circulation until gaps appeared late in the match.
• City positional play dominant
• Napoli defensive compactness
• Numerical disadvantage decisive
Manchester City demonstrated control, patience and efficiency to begin the Champions League campaign positively.
Napoli showed defensive resilience but struggled to recover after losing a player early in the match.
The result reinforced City’s European credentials while Napoli were left searching for improvement in upcoming fixtures.
• Strong start for City
• Napoli defensive effort noted
• Result shaped by discipline and quality
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