Despite City's brilliant form in the Premier League, our fan reporter can't shake some nagging fears as the Champions League resumes


Nobody wants to play Manchester City at the moment. We’re undefeated in 12 games with 37 goals scored during that run. We’ve lost just once in 20 games, stretching all the way back to October.

Pep’s team oozes talent, skill and passion; playing peak Barça-esque football with an average of nearly 70% possession in the Premier League. Put simply, opponents don’t see the ball and the domestic game is the champions’ playground.

Moreover, the array of talent at Pep’s disposal gets longer by the day, with youngsters James McAtee, Liam Delap and Kayky all breaking through and starting to receive standing ovations as they are welcomed onto the pitch. City are building an army of players that have silk running through their veins.

They’re a threat, a serious threat, so why do I have a nagging doubt? Why even question if they can they continue their flawless form in the world’s most prestigious club competition? Because we have been here before, playing brilliant football at home only to come unstuck in Europe.

That one defeat in 20 games? Our last match out in the Champions League against Leipzig in December. OK, we had already won the group, but during those six games we only kept one clean sheet and also lost in Paris.

City fans don’t need any reminding of painful Champions League exits in recent years, particularly in Portugal. The 3-1 loss to Olympique Lyonnais in the quarter-finals at Sporting’s Alvalade stadium in 2020 stung; the final defeat to Chelsea in Porto last summer hurt even more. It was a haunting feeling, my emotions mirroring those of the distraught City players at the final whistle.

So, will this season be different? That’s the question that’s felt in the pit of every supporter’s stomach, twisting itself into an ugly knot. As we return to Portugal to take on Sporting, I hope we can start healing that wound.