Man City vs Red Star Belgrade LIVE: Champions League result as Julian Alvarez hits double in comeback win
Holders Manchester City recovered from falling a goal behind to outclass Red Star Belgrade 3-1 in their Group G opener with Julian Alvarez scoring twice at The Etihad.
Pep Guardiola's side dominated the opening period but were guilty of wayward finishing and trailed to a sucker-punch just before halftime as Osman Bukari broke clear to finish in style.
City began the game on a 26-match unbeaten run in Champions League home games and normal service was resumed almost immediately after the restart as Alvarez levelled after combining with Erling Haaland.
A misjudgement by Red Star keeper Omri Glazer allowed an Alvarez cross to go into the net on the hour and Rodri made it 3-1 with a clinical finish after 73 minutes as City made it 19 home wins in succession in all competitions.
Manchester City vs Red Star Belgrade live
Rodri’s attacking evolution is helping to fill Man City void
Man City defeat Red Star Belgrade in their Champions League opener, live on TNT Sports
Pep Guardiola’s men are looking to regain the Champions League title this year
73’ GOAL! - Rodri curls one home after an individual run (MCI 3-1 ZVE)
60’ GOAL! - Alvarez curls one in from a free kick (MCI 2-1 ZVE)
57’ CHANCE! - Haaland denied from close range (MCI 1-1 ZVE)
47’ GOAL! - Alvarez levels quickly after the break (MCI 1-1 ZVE)
45’ GOAL! - Bukari scores against the run of play (MCI 0-1 ZVE)
40’ SAVE! - Foden misses a great chance from close range as Glazer makes another fine save (MCI 0-0 ZVE)
30’ SAVE! - Ake’s header is pushes wide by Glazer (MCI 0-0 ZVE)
25’ CROSSBAR! - Haaland nods Foden’s cross into the woodwork (MCI 0-0 ZVE)
15’ SAVE! - Rodri’s powerful shot is palmed away by Glazer (MCI 0-0 ZVE)
Manchester City FC 3 - 1 FK Crvena Zvezda Beograd
Rodri’s attacking evolution is helping to fill Man City void
22:13 , Mike Jones
It was neither Rodri’s most significant Champions League goal of 2023 nor his most important strike of the season. And yet, as Manchester City began their defence of their continental crown, perhaps it was fitting that it was capped by a finish from the man who delivered the strike that secured their holy grail.
The scourge of Internazionale in Istanbul, Rodri finished off Red Star Belgrade in Manchester. He did so in style, too, exchanging passers with Phil Foden, embarking on a solo run and placing a shot in. It was an indication that the defensive midfielder, the man who has always amassed passes, has now started to trade in goals as well: four in nine games, going back to the Champions League final.
If some – April’s opener against Bayern Munich, the decider against Inter, the recent winner at Sheffield United – are signs of stature, of the capacity to seize the initiative, there is also evidence of a more attacking bent. If Rodri is getting forward more, it may be because he is finding his duties at the base of the midfield too easy. Or perhaps because, without Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan, he recognises the need to compensate for the absence of two talismanic figures and has the ability to do so.
Rodri’s attacking evolution is helping to fill Man City void
FT Man City 3-1 Red Star Belgrade
22:03 , Mike Jones
Full-time! Man City 3-1 Red Star Belgrade
21:54 , Mike Jones
90+4 mins: There goes the final whistle. Manchester City come from behind to defeat Red Star Belgrade in their opening Champions League group stage clash.
Pep Guardiola would have been frustrated after an opening 45 minutes that saw City waste chances and go behind but they rallied wonderfully in the second half and put the result beyond doubt.
Man City 3-1 Red Star Belgrade
21:51 , Mike Jones
90 mins: Four minutes of added time to play at the Etihad Stadium. Can Erling Haaland get himself a goal?
Man City 3-1 Red Star Belgrade
21:48 , Mike Jones
88 mins: Doku switches the ball over to Rico Lewis on the right wing and he flies forward before underhitting a pass to Oscar Bobb and giving the ball away.
Man City 3-1 Red Star Belgrade
21:45 , Mike Jones
85 mins: City win a corner that is swung onto the head of Nathan Ake who nods another effort at goal. This one is sent straight at the goalkeeper who plucks the ball safely out of the air.
Man City 3-1 Red Star Belgrade
21:44 , Mike Jones
82 mins: Pep Guardiola makes a few changes now. Rico Lewis, Oscar Bobb and Kalvin Phillips come on to replace Phil Foden, Ruben Dias and Rodri.
Less than 10 minutes to play and City are cruising to victory.
Man City 3-1 Red Star Belgrade
21:40 , Mike Jones
79 mins: Jeremy Doku has been moved out onto the left side where he played when he faced West Ham in the Premier League. He’s a direct runner and likes taking players on.
A shuffle of the feet and a shot at goal results in his effort being blocked inside the penalty but that won’t discourage him from another go if he gets the opportunity.
Man City 3-1 Red Star Belgrade
21:35 , Mike Jones
76 mins: Man City will now try to run up the score. They’ve gone through the gears in the second half, through necessity after Red Star scored first.
The match is done now and City will take all three points. The icing on the cake will be a goal for Erling Haaland.
GOAL! Man City 3-1 Red Star Belgrade (Rodri, 73’)⚽️
21:34 , Mike Jones
73 mins: He’s looked hungry to score all night and now has his goal. Manchester City’s Rodri receives the ball just outside the penalty area and isn’t closed down by the Red Star defence.
Instead they drop off him and allow Rodri to bring the ball into the box. He coolly guides the ball into the far bottom corner unopposed and City have their third.
Man City 2-1 Red Star Belgrade
21:28 , Mike Jones
67 mins: Julian Alvarez should have a hat-trick. He’s played into space in the box and lets fly with a decent effort but can only find the side-netting.
It’s just another reminder of how good the Argentine forward actually is.
Man City 2-1 Red Star Belgrade
21:25 , Mike Jones
64 mins: Save! Kyle Walker swings a deep cross into the box as Erling Haaland peels away from his marker. He meets the ball in the air and nods it down but Omri Glazer has the post guarded and pushes the ball onto the upright where it rebounds to safety.
GOAL! Man City 2-1 Red Star Belgrade (Alvarez, 60’)⚽️
21:21 , Mike Jones
60 mins: Manchester City have a second goal. They win a free kick over to the left of the penalty with Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez standing over it.
Alvarez takes the shot and curls it over towards the far corner. The ball swings in but Omri Glazer should deal with it. He comes out to punch it away but misses the ball with his fist and nudges it into the back of the net.
City lead!
Man City 1-1 Red Star Belgrade
21:18 , Mike Jones
57 mins: Chance! Julian Alvarez takes a shot from range and smokes the effort straight at the goalkeeper. Omri Glazer fumbles the ball and sets up Erling Haaland from close range.
Haaland only has time to poke the ball at goal and he isn’t able to lift it high enough over the keeper who gets a touch to the ball and stops it from crossing the line.
Man City 1-1 Red Star Belgrade
21:17 , Mike Jones
56 mins: Ruben Dias hits Bukari with a heavy tackle and gets himself a yellow card. That’s the third one of the night.
City continue to push forward with Pep Guardiola readying a change on the sidelines.
Man City 1-1 Red Star Belgrade
21:14 , Mike Jones
53 mins: Disallowed goal! Kyle Walker runs into the box from the right side of the pitch as the ball is clipped over the top. He controls it and looks for a cutback but the ball is deflected back to the City captain.
He then pokes it into the back of the net but the offside flag goes up and the goal is chalked off. City look dangerous once again though.
Man City 1-1 Red Star Belgrade
21:13 , Mike Jones
51 mins: Alvarez is dictating City’s play from the middle of the pitch. He feeds the ball over to Jeremy Doku on the right side but the winger has nowhere to go.
The ball comes back to Alvarez who holds it up and waits for his teammates to overload the Red Star defence.
GOAL! Man City 1-1 Red Star Belgrade (Alvarez, 47’)⚽️
21:08 , Mike Jones
47 mins: That didn’t take long!
A pass is threaded through the middle and come to Julian Alvarez who flicks it up to Erling Haaland. Haaland holds the ball up inside the penalty area waiting for Alvarez to make a run past him.
He does and collects the ball. A slight touch takes him around the goalkeeper but a second, deft touch pushes the ball into the back of the net.
Second half! Man City 0-1 Red Star Belgrade
21:06 , Mike Jones
Manchester City get the ball rolling once more at the Etihad Stadium needing to find a way back into the game. That will only come through a goal and preferably the next one.
City haven’t been clinical tonight but now need to switch it on.
Newcastle earn Milan draw but ‘group of death’ will reveal its true value
21:01 , Mike Jones
Twenty years ago, Newcastle United went to the San Siro and came away with a draw. Two decades later and, in their first Champions League away match since, Eddie Howe’s side just about managed to hang on in order to repeat the feat. A goalless draw against AC Milan lacked the scoreline of that previous 2-2 against Inter in 2003, but given the dominance of the Italian side and the sheer amount of their chances the hosts wasted, this will go down as a valuable point on Newcastle’s long-awaited return to Europe’s top table.
Whether it is enough in a group that also contains Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund feels like a separate issue, and whether, in time, the Premier League side may regret not doing more to try and take three, but even asking that question is a sign of how much has changed in 20 years. This is not a great Milan team and Newcastle’s wealth is now far greater than the seven-time European champions. Although Champions League semi-finalists last season, Milan finished fifth in Serie A in the same year and on Saturday were thrashed 5-1 by Inter in the derby.
Yet this will still be a memorable trip for those who travelled from the north east, which almost became a famous one at the death. It took Newcastle until the 94th minute to have their first shot on target but it came close to stunning the San Siro, as Sean Longstaff’s drive was tipped over by substitute keeper Marco Sportiello. It would have been the ultimate smash-and-grab, with Milan finishing with 25 shots on goal and Nick Pope having to make a series of saves to earn Newcastle their point.
Newcastle earn Milan draw but ‘group of death’ will reveal its true value
HT Man City 0-1 Red Star Belgrade
20:56 , Mike Jones
Half-time! Man City 0-1 Red Star Belgrade
20:51 , Mike Jones
The Manchester City fans are shocked. Their team should be ahead by quite a way but instead Red Star have nipped in front with a wonderfully finish from Osman Bukari.
This match is only halfway done but Red Star now have something to defend.
GOAL! Man City 0-1 Red Star Belgrade (Bukari, 45’)⚽️
20:49 , Mike Jones
The goal stands! Red Star Belgrade take the lead on the stroke of half-time. That’s a real shock to the system but it’s a perfectly taken goal from Osman Bukari.
Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:48 , Mike Jones
45 mins: Disallowed goal! Osman Bukari is fed in behind the Manchester City line with a simple forward pass and he sprints sharply past Ruben Dias.
He takes the ball into the box, opens up his body and scores calmly to shock the Etihad.
The assistant referee immediately lifts the offside flag but VAR are checking this, it looks tight...
Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:45 , Mike Jones
43 mins: Pep Guardiola makes a change before half-time with Bernardo Silva, who seems to have picked up a slight niggle, replaced with the electric Jeremy Doku.
His pace could prove useful to City as they hunt for an opener.
Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:44 , Mike Jones
40 mins: And again! Sergio Gomez whips a cross into the box from the left wing and Phil Foden should score. He has free header and pings it into the floor but it’s straight at Omri Glazer who pushes it away.
Bernardo Silva gets to the rebound but his effort is blocked and cleared away.
Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:42 , Mike Jones
37 mins: Omri Glazer continues to be a bane for Manchester City as he flings himself to dive to his right to parry a dipping effort from Julian Alvarez with of the target.
Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:37 , Mike Jones
34 mins: Milan Rodic joins Rodri in the book as he picks up a yellow card for sliding through Matheus Nunes, leaving the City’s new man hobbling around the pitch.
City are pushing for the opener but it’s not easy for them. Pep Guardiola’s looks a little frustrated.
Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:31 , Mike Jones
30 mins: Save! The corner ball is curled beautifully onto the head of Nathan Ake who powers his shot towards the far bottom corner of the goal.
Omri Glazer leaps across and palms his effort wide of the post. Another fine save from the Red Star goalkeeper.
Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:30 , Mike Jones
28 mins: Red Star will be pleased with their efforts so far in this game but it’s Man City who are missing chances rather than being kept quiet.
Kyle Walker fancies a shot from the right side and wins a corner after a deflection takes the ball out of play.
Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:28 , Mike Jones
25 mins: Off the crossbar! Julian Alverez feeds the ball across to Sergio Gomez who slips Phil Foden into the left side of the box. He hangs a lofted pass over to Erling Haaland who leaps high and nods his effort right into the crossbar!
The ball rebounds safely away and Haaland cannot believe he’s missed that chance.
Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:26 , Mike Jones
24 mins: Rodri goes in the book for a high lunging tackle in the middle of the pitch. It’s sloppy from the midfielder who seems to want to get himself into the game.
He’s buzzing with energy tonight but will need to be a little wary now.
Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:23 , Mike Jones
21 mins: The Red Star fans are making a lot of noise early on here trying to encourage their team. City are dominating possession and it feels like a matter of time before they open the scoring.
Foden drills a pass into the box for Nunes but he can’t shift it out from under his own feet and any chance of getting a shot away goes begging.
Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:21 , Mike Jones
18 mins: A wonderfully threaded pass from Kyle Walker feeds Matheus Nunes into the Red Star box. His first touch isn’t great which allows Aleksandar Dragovic to sweep across and punt the ball out of play.
Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:17 , Mike Jones
15 mins: Save! Rodri looks hungry to attack tonight. His press is superb and he wins the ball on the edge of the penalty area. A shift to the right takes him wide of Srdjan Mijailovic before he unleashes a powerful strike at goal.
Omri Glazer holds his ground and pushes the ball wide of the far post with a solid right hand. Good save!
Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:13 , Mike Jones
12 mins: Chance! Phil Foden kickstarts another move with a driving run through the middle of the pitch before sending Erling Haaland a little wide with a pass into the left side of the box.
Haaland recovers the ball and sends it back to Julian Alvarez who chips a forward pass to Foden but his overhead kick skews wide of the target.
Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:11 , Mike Jones
9 mins: Shot! Phil Foden drifts into the middle for Man City and receives the ball in space. He rolls it onto his left foot and shoots winning a corner when his effort is deflected out for a corner kick.
Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:08 , Mike Jones
6 mins: Nunes is making his first start for Manchester City tonight and is trying to impress. He brings the ball down the right side of the pitch with some help from Kyle Walker before curling a pacey ball in towards Julian Alvarez.
Alvarez can’t control the pass and it skips through to Omri Glazer in Red Star’s goal.
Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:05 , Mike Jones
3 mins: Rodri moves into an attacking position as he times a nice run into the box, Phil Foden as the ball on the left side and flicks it to him but Rodri’s cutback is turned behind for a corner.
The set piece is whipped into the box and finds Matheus Nunes who punts a headed effort well over the goal.
Kick off! Man City 0-0 Red Star Belgrade
20:03 , Mike Jones
Red Star get the ball rolling for this one at the Etihad Stadium but they don’t maintain possession for long as the hosts gain hold of the ball looking to build their opening attack.
Man City vs Red Star Belgrade
19:57 , Mike Jones
Here come the teams. Manchester City are defending the Champions League trophy which is one of the most difficult prizes to win back-to-back.
Pep Guardiola has set his sights on that goal this year so he’ll be hoping his men get off to a perfect start tonight. Kick off is up next.
Man City vs Red Star Belgrade
19:50 , Mike Jones
Erling Haaland scored 12 goals in the Champions League last season, more than any other player. However, the Man City striker has failed to score in his last three appearances, his longest run without a goal in the competition.
Will he get back on the scoresheet tonight?
Man City vs Red Star Belgrade
19:45 , Mike Jones
Manchester City boast an impressive record at the Etihad Stadium in this competition. They have not lost in any of their last 25 encounters here.
It is a run that stretches back to a 2-1 loss against Lyon on Matchday 1 back in 2018/19.
How the Champions League lost its spark and led to the end of an era
19:40 , Mike Jones
There was a rare wistfulness around the Champions League draw in Monaco, where football’s most powerful and wealthy gathered in a fittingly ostentatious setting. An era was about to pass.
If the competition’s group stage has recently become a round to pay minimal attention to, this is a season to really savour it. That is because it’s the last one before the introduction of the Swiss system.
This will be the last campaign we go through the satisfying symmetry of the round-robin, hoping it builds up to one of those final matchdays – part of a lexicon that is the stage’s legacy – where it is anything but symmetrical and chaos reigns. The clean nature of the format has produced some wonderfully untidy endings.
How the Champions League lost its spark and led to the end of an era
Pep Guardiola challenges Man City to win back-to-back Champions League titles
19:35 , Mike Jones
Pep Guardiola has challenged his Manchester City side to achieve something special and win back-to-back Champions League titles.
The treble winners begin the defence of their European crown as they host Red Star Belgrade at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
City finally put years of near-misses behind them to win the competition for the first time last season but, while Guardiola is proud of their achievements, he feels their mission is not yet over.
The City manager said at a press conference: “I’d like to say that for our club to win the Champions League is incredible – the first time in our history – but, in perspective, how many teams have won the Champions League once?
Pep Guardiola challenges Man City to win back-to-back Champions League titles
Champions League group stage changes: What will the tournament look like next season?
19:30 , Mike Jones
It’s the end of an era for the Champions League, as the tournament plays out the last season of its current format before major changes are introduced in 2024.
The most significant reforms to the Champions League in a generation were announced by Uefa in 2021, days before the failed European Super League plot was launched back in 2021, and they received unanimous backing from the European Club Association and Uefa Club Competitions Committee.
It confirmed plans to change the format of European football’s top club competition from 2024, giving the tournament its first new look in 20 years. The proposals were not met with the same level of backlash that greeted the Super League plans but were still criticised by leading fans’ groups, including the Football Supporters’ Association [FSA].
What will the new Champions League group stage look like next season?
Guardiola on Ederson
19:25 , Mike Jones
Pep Guardiola spoke about his No. 1 goalkeeper, Ederson, ahead of Man City’s Champions League opener and explained why he feels the Brazilian is only going from strength to strength.
“He’s matured and he’s getting even better,” Guardiola said on Tuesday, “We are a team that doesn’t concede too much and I have the feeling that when the opponents arrive he is there.
“The first save in the one-on-one against [Michail] Antonio, the moments he makes the last touch a little bit longer he was there.
“Especially the corner, with [James] Ward-Prowse he is an incredible threat, and [Kurt] Zouma with the tall incredible headers but he made a good save and at that moment it was 1-1.
“We had 16/17 shots in the first half against West Ham which is quite impressive, but these details make the difference and Ederson was there again.”
Kyle Walker staying at City
19:20 , Mike Jones
As part of his media duties in the build-up to tonight’s match, Kyle Walker explained his decision to stay at Manchester City and sign another contract extension.
“Why should I want to leave this great team?” said Walker when asked why he decided to stay at City, “For me it was just about the years [on the contract].
“I’m 33 years young and I still feel great. For me it was about settling in, I didn’t really want to sign another year to then have this conversation again next year. I wanted to be settled not just for me but for my family as well.
“I feel that now I am settled, you see in the performances that I don’t have it in the back of my mind because it does play on your mind where you know you’ve got a little bit of uncertainty.
“I want to stay at this Club for as long as possible because why would I leave a team that’s gone on and won three Premier Leagues in a row, a Treble and a Champions League?
“If I’d have left in the summer I don’t go and score the winning penalty at the Super Cup and lift that. It’s working out so far but it’s early days.
“Nothing’s decided at this moment in time in the Premier League or any other competition and we need to make sure that, as we are nine times out of 10, there into the later stages.”
Who are TNT Sports’ Champions League presenters, commentators and pundits?
19:15 , Mike Jones
TNT Sports’ football coverage will be led by four female presenters this season as it seeks to “push the boundaries” of sports broadcasting.
TNT Sports is the new name for the channel formerly known as BT Sport, with Laura Woods confirmed as host of its Champions League coverage alongside Reshmin Chowdhury. Jake Humphrey, who fronted BT’s Champions League coverage last season, stepped back from his role in May.
Lynsey Hipgrave will continue to host live Premier League coverage on TNT Sports, having done so since the start of last season, while Jules Breach has replaced Des Kelly as the broadcaster’s pitchside reporter.
Who are TNT Sports’ Champions League presenters, commentators and pundits?
Man City vs Red Star Belgrade
19:10 , Mike Jones
Red Star won last season’s Serbian title without losing a game, but they changed managers this summer and have lost two of their last three games under Barak Bakhar.
Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland begin new Champions League rivarly after Messi-Ronaldo era
19:05 , Mike Jones
As Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup in Doha, Kylian Mbappe was “livid”. It of course wasn’t because of his former team-mate’s success. It was that Mbappe had missed his only chance to emulate Pele and win two World Cup finals by the age of 23. The Paris Saint-Germain star is said to be more aware of his legacy than perhaps any previous major player in history – certainly much more than Erling Haaland.
It is why he is now so singularly focused on the Champions League. That’s why he ultimately wants to go to Real Madrid. Watching Haaland lift it in June will have only added to that, all the more so because the Manchester City forward clearly doesn’t care quite as much. That isn’t to say he didn’t greatly want it, of course, but it’s one growing difference with Mbappe.
The Norwegian said only last week he didn’t care for that projected rivalry, either, and that might well be true. Those differences between Haaland and Mbappe will still define the next decade of football in the same way those between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo did the last decade.
Mbappe and Haaland begin new Champions League rivarly after Messi-Ronaldo era
Guardiola on winning the first Champions League game
19:00 , Mike Jones
Manchester City tend to come flying out of the blocks in the Champions League group stages as Pep Guardiola looks to win enough games to qualify for the knockout rounds as soon as possible. The City boss says this year will be no different.
"Every season we start the competition in the first game with the target to win the first game, then the group stage, then try to win the Champions League," said Guardiola on Monday.
"Nothing changes from before.
"The same for Red Star tomorrow [Tuesday]. It depends on our performance and our level. We’re incredibly happy to defend this crown but this competition doesn’t allow you mistakes.
"But always we were so strong at home, nine points from nine. When that happens you can win just one game away and you qualify. Tomorrow is the first step."
Team news!
18:55 , Jamie Braidwood
Manchester City hand a first start to Matheus Nunes for their Champions League opener against Red Star. Sergio Gomez and Nathan Ake also come into the team that defeated West Ham 3-1 on Saturday, while Manuel Akanji, Josko Gvardiol and Jeremy Doku drop out.
Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Ake, Gomez, Rodri, Bernardo, Nunes, Foden, Alvarez, Haaland
Subs: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Phillips, Doku, Gvardiol, Akanji, Bobb, Lewis
Injuries plaguing Pep
18:55 , Mike Jones
Manchester City will be without John Stones, Jack Grealish, Mateo Kovacic and Kevin De Bruyne when they open their Champions League defence against Red Star Belgrade tonight.
All four are injured with defender Stones not playing since the Community Shield, midfielder Grealish suffering a knock before the international break. Kovacic was then injured while on Croatia duty and De Bruyne is out long term.
Can City cope without them?
Champions League 2023/24: Schedule, groups, fixtures and match dates
18:50 , Mike Jones
Newcastle United face a brutally tough draw on their return to the Champions League after being dropped in group F with Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan.
Manchester United are up against Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich in group A along with Turkish champions Galatasaray, and new striker Rasmus Hojlund will also face his old side Copenhagen.
Arsenal will play Europa League champions Sevilla as well as PSV Eindhoven and Lens, while holders Manchester City will take on RB Leipzig, Young Boys and Red Star Belgrade.
UEFA Champions League 2023/24 schedule - every game in the group stage
Man City vs Red Star Belgrade prediction
18:40 , Mike Jones
Red Star can be difficult opponents in the Champions League, but usually only at their home ground and they are likely to struggle to impose themselves against City.
They will try to utilise a vocal travelling support, but will be unable to stop the home side.
Man City 3-0 Red Star Belgrade
What is the team news?
18:35 , Mike Jones
Guardiola said after his side’s win at West Ham at the weekend that he would be forced to make changes to his line-up in the upcoming weeks to protect players, something which could come as soon as Tuesday.
City are due to play four matches in just 11 days, a tough ask for any team, especially considering that comes off the back of an international break that saw many members of the team travel as far as South America.
They will continue to be without the injured Kevin De Bruyne, while the match could also come too soon for John Stones, Jack Grealish and Mateo Kovacic.
How to watch Man City vs Red Star Belgrade
18:30 , Mike Jones
The match kicks off at 8pm BST on Tuesday 19 September at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.
Man City vs Red Star Belgrade will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 2 and TNT Sports Ultimate. it will be streamed live on the Discovery+ app and desktop website for subscribers.
Manchester City vs Red Star Belgrade
16:38 , Mike Jones
Good evening and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of Manchester City versus Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League.
Pep Guardiola’s treble winners are hoping to repeat their feat this season as they look to defend their title as European winners after they defeated Inter Milan in the Champions League final earlier this year.
They’ve been drawn in a favourable group and should progress to the knockout rounds without too much trouble. Guardiola will hope his team can make a statement win tonight after notching up five straight wins in the Premier League so far.
We’ll have all the build-up and updates ahead of kick off at 8pm.
