Manchester City have been handed an early advantage before Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Porto.
The Portuguese champions will face Enzo Maresca’s side without Jan Bednarek, a key figure in their defence. His absence should force manager Francesco Farioli to field a much less experienced partnership.
O Jogo and Jornal de Notícias both explain that Bednarek must serve a two-match UEFA suspension. He received a straight red card against Nottingham Forest in last season’s Europa League.
That means the former Southampton defender will miss the meetings with Manchester City and Real Betis.
Nehuén Pérez set for major test
That means Nehuén Pérez should replace Bednarek and partner Jakub Kiwior against City.
The Argentine has played in every league match this season. However, he has started only once, against Rio Ave. He managed 69 minutes and scored in that game.
That was his longest appearance since suffering a complete Achilles tendon rupture in September 2025. Pérez required surgery and spent eight months on the sidelines.
He has not completed 90 minutes since facing Sporting in September last year. Now he looks set to make his Champions League debut against one of Europe’s strongest sides.
Porto have conceded only once this season, so City will face a defence in good form. Even so, Bednarek’s absence takes a lot of experience out of that back line.
The 30-year-old has made more than 400 senior appearances. He has also represented Poland at two World Cups and two European Championships.
City have a huge experience advantage
Bednarek’s suspension adds to a wider issue for Porto. O Jogo points out that 15 of their 25 registered players have never played in the Champions League. Only ten have featured in the competition before. Just five have done so while representing Porto.
Farioli will also make his own Champions League debut from the dugout. He cannot call upon the injured Victor Froholdt, Samu Aghehowa or Oskar Pietuszewski either.
City’s squad sits at the opposite end of the scale. Ten of Maresca’s players have already made at least 20 appearances in the competition. Mateo Kovacic and Phil Foden alone have played 146 Champions League games between them. That is more than Porto’s entire squad combined.
Farioli knows the size of the challenge. After Porto’s win over Moreirense, he described City as one of the favourites to lift the trophy.
“It will be an important game against a team who have invested almost €550m (£478m),” he said.
“It is clearly one of the favourites to win the trophy. It is a mountain to climb, but we are FC Porto. They are coming to the Dragão, and we will do everything possible to make life difficult for them.”
The home crowd should give Porto a lift. City, though, will arrive with a major advantage in European experience and a clear target in the hosts’ reshuffled defence.
