Summary

  1. 'Tactical decision to leave out Martinez'published at 19:34 British Summer Time 18 September

    Man City v Inter Milan (20:00 BST)

    Julien Laurens
    French football expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Medhi Taremi is a target man and will play up front alongside Marcus Thuram for Inter; they are roughly the same build and size and Thuram can run in behind. This is a tactical decision from Inter to play without Lautaro Martinez.

    They know Manchester City will play high and press so they are going to play long and see what they can get on second balls. They can always bring on Martinez at half time or after an hour.

  2. 'A great sense of anticipation'published at 19:32 British Summer Time 18 September

    Man City v Inter Milan (20:00 BST)

    Joe Hart
    Former England & Man City goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

    .Image source, Reuters

    The Etihad will be bouncing. It's a great occasion, a great sense of anticipation.

    Manchester City have only won the Champions League once but that hunger is still there.

    Inter Milan were very successful last season and are strong defensively.

  3. Postpublished at 19:31 British Summer Time 18 September

    Man City v Inter Milan (20:00 BST)

    Half an hour until kick-off. The Etihad is filling up. This promises to be a cracker. The champions of England against the champions of Italy.

  4. 'City will be up there with the favourites'published at 19:29 British Summer Time 18 September

    Man City v Inter Milan (20:00 BST)

    Chris Sutton
    Former Premier League striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Manchester City will be tested by Inter Milan. They strolled Serie A last season and they are an extremely capable side full of excellent footballers. You do think though at home, first game of the campaign, that City will win. They were notorious in previous years for strolling the group stage and I expect them to be up there with the favourites in the top eight of this first stage.

  5. get involved

    Could players go on strike?published at 19:27 British Summer Time 18 September

    #bbcfootball, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    Bailey: Why don't they just move to a different club if they can't manage their increased workload? Lots of people in the real world do just the same and understand they may need to adjust their salary expectations.

  6. 'It looks daunting'published at 19:26 British Summer Time 18 September

    Joe Hart
    Former England & Man City goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

    On this week's comments by Liverpool keeper Alisson about too many games and Manchester City midfielder Rodri saying players are close to going on strike in protest at an increase in games.

    They are speaking from their hearts. They are two players who are going to speak honestly. They're not rash guys. Rodri was saying at some point they [the players] are going to have to stand up for themselves.

    When you are in the game and you are so focused on being your best every day, the format doesn't really allow for that. But like anything, football changes and evolves all the time.

    The clubs find ways, the coaches find ways. The squads will change and get stronger. It will just mean you will have to invest deeper into your 24 or 25 man squad.

    At the moment I have no doubt it looks daunting. If you ask players to play 65 games plus play for your country this season, they are going to say no. Your body cannot withstand that,

    But that is high-end football.

  7. Celtic confident of opening winpublished at 19:24 British Summer Time 18 September

    Celtic v Slovan Bratislava (20:00 BST)

    Media caption,

    'Most ready I've been for Champions League campaign' - Rodgers

    Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers reckons he is in the "best place I've been in" during his time at the club as he aims for an opening Champions League win at home to Slovan Bratislava.

    Rodgers has started the second season of his second spell with six straight wins.

    And Celtic are strong favourites to extend that run against a side making their debut at this level.

    "This feels like the most ready I’ve been as a Celtic manager coming into a Champions League campaign," said Rodgers.

    "Having had a year under my belt back here and seeing all the players and being able to improve in a lot of areas that I want, certainly readiness is a great word.

    "I think we have that feeling of arriving at this first game in the best place I’ve been in since I’ve been here.

    "We're playing at home, we want to start off with a really good performance and get three points."

    You can follow full live text and radio commentary of that game on BBC Scotland here.

  8. get involved

    Could players go on strike?published at 19:23 British Summer Time 18 September

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    Neezagon: Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson were making the same point 30 years ago and nobody listened to them or any manager since.

  9. Weiss back to haunt Celtic?published at 19:22 British Summer Time 18 September

    Celtic v Slovan Bratislava (20:00 BST)

    "All our lives we’ve been talking about Celtic and Rangers."

    Slovan Bratislava manager Vladimir Weiss is well known to Celtic fans - as is his son of the same name.

    Weiss senior led Artmedia Bratislava to a 5-0 victory in Gordon Strachan’s first match in charge of Celtic in 2005, before hanging on for a 5-4 aggregate success.

    Weiss junior played on loan at Rangers in season 2010-11. Both return to Glasgow on Wednesday as Slovan take their Champions League bow.

    "Of course there are memories and nobody can take them away from you but now we are up against a Celtic side that are faster and have a different style of play than 19 years ago," said the visiting coach.

    "We know what to expect. We have several players who have played here before and they know about the atmosphere.

    "A lot of players have said this is the best atmosphere in the world. We have enough experience to not give in to this atmosphere and not make mistakes.

    "We know that most of the game we will be under pressure. Just like we get emotion and energy from our fans, Celtic will get that. So you have to have self-confidence and discipline."

  10. get involved

    Get Involved: 'Biting the hand that feeds you'published at 19:20 British Summer Time 18 September

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    If players want to reduce their workload, take a voluntary wage cut so the club can invest in a better squad and rotate. The main reason for more games is to generate more revenue and a large proportion ends up with the players anyway. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

    Steve, Powys

  11. Rodri and Gvardiol back for Man Citypublished at 19:18 British Summer Time 18 September

    Man City v Inter Milan (20:00 BST)

    Simon Stone
    BBC Sport's chief football news reporter at Etihad Stadium

    It is not really a surprise given Pep Guardiola brought them both on at half-time against Brentford on Saturday to stabilise a difficult situation but Josko Gvardiol and Rodri return to the Manchester City starting line-up.

    A bigger shock is Rico Lewis - who was one of the players replaced - keeps his spot, switching to right-back, with England full-back Kyle Walker standing down.

    I think Guardiola is still bedding his team in and we will know more about who is in favour and who is not when we get into the meat of the campaign.

    But it is clear that Rodri's influence is as great as ever and Gvardiol is the first choice left-back.

  12. 'Pep roulette'published at 19:16 British Summer Time 18 September

    Man City v Inter Milan (20:00 BST)

    Chris Sutton
    Former Premier League striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

    We are at the time in the season where the games start to come thick and fast with the European fixtures starting to take place. This City line-up is another example of 'Pep roulette,' you just don't quite know what team he is going to pick.

  13. Team news: Rodri returns as Guardiola makes changespublished at 19:15 British Summer Time 18 September

    Man City v Inter Milan (20:00 BST)

    Phil McNulty
    BBC Sport chief football writer at Etihad Stadium

    Rodri is in Manchester City's starting line-up for the first time this season as they start their Champions League campaign at home Inter Milan.

    The fixture holds special memories for Rodri, who scored the winner against Inter in the 2023 Champions League Final in Istanbul.

    He played the second half against Brentford on Saturday and is one of four changes made by manager Pep Guardiola.

    Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, and Bernardo Silva come in with John Stones, Kyle Walker, Ilkay Gundogan and Mateo Kovacic dropping to the bench,

    One more goal for Erling Haaland tonight will make it 100 in Manchester City colours.

    Manchester City XI: Ederson, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Lewis, Rodri, Savio, Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne, Grealish, Haaland.

    Substitutes: Ortega, Carson, Walker, Stones, Kovacic, Doku, Gundogan, Matheus Luiz, Foden, McAtee.

    Man City XI v InterImage source, BBC Sport

    Inter Milan XI: Sommer, Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni, Darmian, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Carlos Augusto, Thuram, Taremi.

    Substitutes: Di Gennaro, Josep Martinez, Dumfries, de Vrij, Lautaro Martinez, Frattesi, Asllani, Mkhitaryan, Pavard.

    Inter XI v Man CityImage source, BBC Sport
  14. 'Inter will not be gung-ho'published at 19:14 British Summer Time 18 September

    Man City v Inter Milan (20:00 BST)

    Nicky Bandini
    Italian football journalist on The Football News Show

    Inzaghi directs his team from the touchlineImage source, Getty Images

    I would not expect Inter to come out and be gung-ho. Simone Inzaghi is very intelligent, one of the best managers operating in Europe right now, and he knows how to build a team that is elastic, that can draw you in and hit you on the counter. That is the style I am expecting from them against Manchester City.

  15. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 19:12 British Summer Time 18 September

    #bbcfootball, text 81111 (UK only - standard rates apply) or WhatsApp 03301231826

    EternalKlopptimist: I actually love that idea from James in Kent [18:46] because now clubs have to budget when to use their stars. 38 league games and hope for a cup final? Sit them out for games against bottom half teams? Could bring greater parity to the leagues and cups!

  16. What can Celtic expect from Slovan Bratislava?published at 19:11 British Summer Time 18 September

    Celtic v Slovan Bratislava (20:00 BST)

    Liam McLeod
    BBC Sport Scotland

    .Image source, PA Media

    Two years after Celtic's finest moment in 1967 came Slovan Bratislava's greatest day.

    The Slovak giants, then part of the former Czechoslovakia, slayed the great Barcelona at Basel's St Jakob Stadium in 1969 to lift the Cup Winners' Cup, their solitary European honour to date.

    Their semi-final opponents that season were the then-Scottish Cup holders Dunfermline Athletic, who themselves had a memorable continental campaign that year as they brushed aside the likes of Olympiacos and West Bromwich Albion to get to the last four.

    Despite pushing a Slovan side full of Czech internationals - who would appear at the following year's World Cup in Mexico - the Pars lost out narrowly, going down 2-1 on aggregate.

    It is a club that has since struggled in Europe, though there have been recent flickers of life with Europa League and Conference League campaigns, with the most recent in the latter producing knock-out European tournament football.

    Like Celtic, Slovan have been the dominant force at home, winning each of the last six Slovakian titles with a 15-point chasm between they and nearest challengers Dunajska Streda last season.

    They are top of the embryonic Fortuna Liga table this season despite suffering a spectacular 5-0 home thrashing by Zilina before the September international break.

  17. get involved

    Could players go on strike?published at 19:09 British Summer Time 18 September

    #bbcfootball, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    Roony: I need to work 5 days a week 9am-5:30pm. It's not fair as I only have 2 days a week to relax. May need to go on strike...

  18. Postpublished at 19:07 British Summer Time 18 September

    Man City v Inter Milan (20:00 BST)

    Manchester City

    Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola on Erling Haaland's phenomenal goalscoring record: "I played for 11 years and scored 11 goals. This guy [Haaland], in four games this season he's scored nine.

    "The opponents will find a solution to contain the Norwegian, and we have to find a solution to beat them, to find a way."

  19. Elsewhere in Europepublished at 19:05 British Summer Time 18 September

    SpartaImage source, Getty Images

    Salzburg fall apart at the back and hosts Sparta Prague, on their first Champions League group appearance in 19 years, make it 3-0 as Qazim Laci slots home.

  20. 'Definitely Maybe'published at 19:04 British Summer Time 18 September

    Man City v Inter Milan (20:00 BST)

    David Cheeseman
    at Etihad Stadium

    .

    Plenty of fans sporting the brand new, Oasis inspired Manchester City shirt tonight which was brought out to mark 30 years since the Manchester band’s “Definitely Maybe” album was released.

    City will wear it for European matches this season, and it’s been co-designed by Noel Gallagher himself.

    Oscar and Lee took (pictured above) took delivery of their’s today and it’s on for tonight’s match.

    Who do they reckon will come out on top tonight? Definitely City.