Champions League Matchday 1: Manchester City vs Napoli facts
Friday, September 12, 2025
Article summary
Previous meetings, club facts and key stats ahead of the UEFA Champions League Matchday 1 game.
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Manchester City kick off the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League at home to Italian champions Napoli as Kevin De Bruyne makes a speedy return to the City of Manchester Stadium.
Last match
The previous four matches between these teams were in the group stage. In 2011/12 a 1-1 draw in Manchester was followed by a 2-1 home win for Napoli. City won both fixtures in 2017/18, 2-1 at home and 4-2 away.
City have lost only one of their previous nine home matches against Italian visitors (W4 D4).
Pep Guardiola's side are hosting an Italian team on Matchday 1 for the second season in succession, having drawn 0-0 against Inter in 2024/25.
Napoli are without a win in their ten away matches against English teams (D3 L7).
This is City's 15th successive season in the Champions League proper; they have featured in every campaign since 2011/12 and have reached the knockout stages in each of the last 12.
Having finished 22nd in last season's league phase, City lost to holders Real Madrid in the knockout phase play-offs (2-3 h, 1-3 a).
City have won five and drawn one of their last six Matchday 1 fixtures, since a 1-2 defeat by Lyon in 2018/19.
This is Napoli's ninth campaign in the Champions League proper; their best performance came in 2022/23, when they reached the quarter-finals.
The Naples club were not involved in UEFA competition in 2024/25 – the first time they had missed out since 2009/10.
Napoli have won their Matchday 1 fixture in their last three Champions League campaigns and have lost only one of the eight opening fixtures in the competition (W5 D2).
Key stats
De Bruyne joined Napoli from City in the summer having spent ten years in Manchester, winning six Premier League titles and the 2023 Champions League.
City are unbeaten in 21 home group stage/league games (W18 D3), since that 2018 loss to Lyon, scoring three or more goals in 13 of the last 16.
City have lost four of their last five Champions League matches (W1).
Erling Haaland has scored 49 goals in 48 Champions League appearances. He could become the tenth player to reach 50 goals; Ruud van Nistelrooy is the fastest on 62 matches.
Napoli have lost only three of their last 18 Champions League group stage/league phase games (W11 D4).
The Partenopei have scored in 15 of their last 16 group stage/league phase matches in the competition.