Etihiad Stadium US TV: Fox Soccer 5pm EST ( Delayed) Team News: Balotelli is suspended for his red card in the Europa League last season. DeJong is injured and i'm assuming that Barry is fit for the game What would your lineup be for this game? [LINEUP-4-4-2]Dzeko, Aguero, Nasri, Barry, Yaya, Barry Clichy, Lescott, Kompany, Richards,Hart[/LINEUP-4-4-2] or [LINEUP-4-4-2]Dzeko,Aguero, Nasri, Yaya, Barry, Silva, Clichy, Lescott, Kompany, Richards,Hart[/LINEUP-4-4-2]
De Jong (foot)... Barry (ankle)... AND Milner (concussion) are all unlikely to play according to the Daily Mail. Typical City luck. But we do have Zabaleta who is versatile enough to slot in next to Yaya or we could risk the excellent young Abdul Razak but unlikely due to his inexperience. Or could we push Silva back deeper like against Inter and play Dzeko, Aguero, Tevez, Silva, AND Nasri? That would be jaw-dropping but at the same time our midfield could get overrun badly so I think Zaba may start as a holding midfielder. Our new formation is practically a 4-2-4 with four defenders, one holding midfielder who is cautious, one holding midfielder who gets forward more, and four attackers (or six when Clichy and Micah get forward as they are doing a lot). Atmosphere is gonna be great though, inflatables and flags planned, it'll be a bit like the Hamburg game a couple of years ago. 2,700 Napoli ultras coming over too.
I want to watch this, but I need to save my days off for later in the campaign. Hopefully I can get something at work.
Its not on live in the states, only on the FoxSoccer.tv and apps. It is on FSC at 5pm. mcfc.co.uk always does streaming audio for all matches so i would assume this would be no different.
The first game of our first (and if Uefa and The Old Money have their way) and surely last year in the Champions League. Napoli are f*ckin talented. Hamsik, Lavezzi, Cavani are about as fun to watch these days as any attacking trio outside of the catalans. I for one am just happy to be here. And am truly looking forward to what by all looks of it should be the most exciting match of entire round. AC Milan and Aresenal parked the bus yesterday in games that should've been a bit more fluid. But despite an City having an Italian manager, and us playing an Italian team... this match should be eventful and open.
I got caught up with work and only just tuned in (BBC Radio through the City website). Sounds like City are making heavy work of it. I am reluctant to say more in case people waiting on the 5pm EST FSC broadcast don't want to know.
With my luck I was trying to catch the match here in France. But both Lille and Lyon were playing... so i had missed the first ever city CL match..
I was stuck at work tracking it on the City app. Which isn't ideal, but pretty great for situations like that.
I was at the game and the atmosphere was really good. Not as good as Hamburg a couple of years ago but much better than a pretty flat atmosphere against Wigan at weekend. The match was absorbing to watch, as someone who goes to all home games there was a much different feel about this game, on and off the pitch. It felt like suddenly moving from a three star hotel to a five star hotel full of grandeur and wonder. Photographers from all over the world running past, extra large advertising boards, excellent foreign fans, and the sort of atmosphere from the City fans that you only get in the bigger league games. As for the game, I do feel we were the better team but quite unlucky. That said, Napoli were tactically excellent and blocked us out too much with some brilliant defending. We learned the hard way that just one mistake can cost you at this level as Barry's stupid back heel lead to a lethal counterattack and goal, a real smash and grab as we were pushing everyone forward at that point. Kolarov's equalizer felt like a winning goal and at the end of the night I felt no real disappointment at not winning, just happy to have been a part of this special moment. BTW, some vintage Mancunian humour before the game as the PA played Hey Jude... which was #1 last time we were in the European Cup. We have a really difficult group here and I don't know yet if we'll qualify but if we don't, there should be no panic, the way we're going in the league we'll be back in the CL next season for another shot. I do think we can beat Villarreal home and away but the other three games (Napoli away, Bayern home and away) I'm less confident about.