UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 1): Group C
Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City shoots during the Group F match of the UEFA Champions League between FC Shakhtar Donetsk and Manchester City at Metalist Stadium on October 23, 2018 in Kharkov, Ukraine.
(Oct. 22, 2018 - Source: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Europe)
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Manchester City- Wednesday 19 September 2019
The Ukrainian champions who are sitting comfortably at the top of their domestic league after registering 7 wins in 7 opening matches welcome their favorite UCL group stage opponent in recent years, Manchester City. These two have been drawn together in each of the past 2 seasons with Man City dominating the fixture, a 9-0 aggregate scoreline recorded last campaign is a good example. Shakhtar have also gotten one over City, a 2-1 home win in the 2017/18 campaign that ended the English Champions’ unbeaten run in all competitions. After being shockingly beat by Norwich over the weekend, Pep’s men will be keen to quickly get back to winning terms but it’s all obviously easier said than done.
Dinamo Zagreb vs Atalanta- Wednesday 19 September 2019
The Croatian First Football League champions, Dinamo Zagreb will welcome perhaps Europe’s most adored football club right now, Atalanta. “The Goddess” will be making their champions league debut since the rebranding of the tournament. The Serie A side has enjoyed a remarkable rise in the past 2-3 seasons after swinging on the relegation pendulum for a while, most profoundly finishing 3rd in the last season ahead of the two Milan clubs and 2017/18 UCL semi-finalists, Roma. Gasperini’s men clearly had their eyes projected to this fixture as they battled to a nervy 2-1 league victory over Genoa in the weekend and most eyes will be on them as they visit relatively UCL regulars, Zagreb, who have relished a near perfect start to their domestic title defence.