Since losing to Juventus, City have only won one of their last three matches – losing in the English Premier League to West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur. Mönchengladbach turned on the style at the weekend, beating Stuttgart 3-1 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. Not since their 8-1 battering away at Middlesbrough in Sven-Goran Eriksson’s final game in charge have City been so comprehensively beaten.
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“Let’s face reality: there is a lot of money in that team and it’s full of superstars, and to me they are the favourites to win the Champions League“, Xhaka told Kicker.
Schubert, though, will be without Martin Stranzl, who remains sidelined with a fractured eye socket, while Tony Jantschke is a doubt with a thigh problem. There are no more injury worries for caretaker manager Andre Schubert, who will be able to call upon the likes of Fabian Johnson, Patrick Herrmann and Alvaro Dominguez after their recent return from injury lay-offs. David Silva resumed training this week but he is expected only to be fit to make the bench.
Sergio Aguero: The Argentine striker is regarded as one of the world’s best and has scored 20 times in his career in the Champions League. Manchester City have great potential and are probably the strongest team we will be playing against but we are confident and we will give our best. Gladbach went on to win the trophy later that season.
De Bruyne, 24, became City’s club-record signing when he joined for £54 million at the end of the summer transfer window.
Gladbach started the season in freefall with five straight Bundesliga defeats, plus the loss against Sevilla, which saw Lucien Favre resign as coach, despite steering them to third in the Bundesliga and Champions League qualification. De Bruyne expects his new side to be on the front foot from the start.
Manchester City need to snap out of their Champions League nightmare when they travel to Borussia Monchengladbach on Wednesday evening in the second round of Group D fixtures.
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Unfortunately for Monchengladbach and City, they have yet to secure points as they lost their first games.
