The Champions League is back and among the first teams to play their last-16 first leg is defending champions Manchester City.
City swept almost all before them last season as they clinched a treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
Their route back into this season’s knockout phase was as routine as it could be, as they won all six of their group-stage games.
City opened the scoring early on against last-16 opponents Copenhagen through a pinpoint Kevin De Bruyne strike.
Kevin De Bruyne fires Man City ahead in Copenhagen 🎯How about that switch from Rúben Dias? 😮💨#UCL pic.twitter.com/ki38PNISVz
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 13, 2024
And before that goal, one of the TNT Sports commentators brought it to the attention of viewers that tonight’s match was the first time De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish had started a match together since last year’s Champions League final.
That game against Inter Milan in Istanbul was over eight months ago now and that stat highlights the injury problems some of City’s key players have had this season.
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De Bruyne has missed the vast majority of City’s season so far after sustaining a muscle injury in their opening game of the season against Burnley in August.
The Belgian only returned for City last month, while Erling Haaland has experienced a lay-off of his own lately due to a foot injury.
Grealish, meanwhile, has not started as frequently this season as he did last.
The trio didn’t share the pitch for long, though, with Grealish brought off with an apparent muscular problem in the first half in Denmark.