ENZO Maresca begins his first European campaign in charge of Manchester City as they head to Porto in matchday 1 of the league phase of the Champions League – the scene of where City lost the final in 2021 to Chelsea.

Since winning the trophy in 2023, City have been knocked out by Real Madrid three years in a row. You can back them to go deeper into the competition this time around using Betfred’s welcome offer. They’re giving all new customers the chance to score £50 in free bets – all you need to do is set up an account and place your first £10 bet on something with odds of Evens or better.

Maresca has started with three wins from three in the Premier League and the top of the table has a familiar look to it, with themselves and Arsenal leading the way. They haven’t quite looked like their imperious selves, however, requiring two late goals to turn defeat into victory against Bournemouth on the opening day, and they only beat newly-promoted Coventry by a single goal to nil too.

Porto will be a stern test. The champions of Portugal have won their first five domestic games and conceded just once in the process. The Dragons won 28 of 34 league games last season on their way to the title and reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League – where their run was halted by Nottingham Forest.

Net even more value with Betfred

All you need to do to get involved is to head to Betfred, via our link, and create a new account – this offer is exclusive to those who haven’t yet signed up. Then, simply place your first £10 bet on a selection which is Evens or better. The £50 will be added to your account  within 24 hours of settlement – so bear that in mind if you plan to use the free bets on this game.

The Champions League returns this week with three consecutive nights of league phase fixtures (instead of the usual two), so there’s even more opportunities to watch live games. 

City to start campaign with a win

City have stumbled before in this new format. In the 24/25 season, when it was first introduced, they needed a second half comeback in the final game to avoid the embarrassment of finishing in the bottom 12 and early elimination. They scraped through in the end, but met Real Madrid in the play-off round – and were beaten on aggregate.

Last season they finished 8th, one point ahead of their Spanish rivals and just about securing automatic passage into the Last 16 – but that was where, you guessed it, they ran into Los Blancos once again (after they’d overcome Benfica). They’ll want to lay down a marker this time around and finish towards the top of the table to avoid the play-off round and the toughest teams who emerge from it. Enzo Fernández and Ayyoub Bouaddi could start in midfield, and City will look to dictate the tempo with their revamped engine room.

This is Porto’s first season in the top UEFA competition since 2023/24, where they finished second behind Barcelona in the old group format. Manager Francesco Farioli has quickly instilled a highly disciplined structure since taking the reins, knowing his side will need to suffer without the ball against elite European opposition. 

Backed by a notoriously hostile home crowd and the shot-stopping brilliance of goalkeeper Diogo Costa, the Portuguese giants will look to frustrate their visitors and spring devastating counter-attacks through the pace of William Gomes and Samuel Aghehowa.

This clash sets up as a classic attack-versus-defence tactical battle. City will patiently probe around the penalty area to unlock Farioli‘s deep defensive block. While Porto possess the organisation and grit to keep things uncomfortably tight for long periods, the sheer volume of City’s attacking waves—coupled with Haaland‘s ruthless clinical edge—should eventually break the resistance. Expect a hard-fought, physical encounter where the Premier League side ultimately grind out a crucial away victory.

  • Our tip: Manchester City to win & under 3.5 goals
  • The longshot: Erling Haaland to score anytime & match to end 2-0 to Manchester City

How to register with Betfred

  • Register as a new Betfred customer ahead of Porto vs Man City (18+, UK only) – no promo code needed.
  • Deposit minimum £10 using debit card.
  • Place a £10+ bet at minimum odds of evens (2.0) within 7 days of registration.
  • You’ll receive: £30 to use on any Sportsbook Market + £20 to use on the Bet Builder.
  • These are credited after qualifying bet settles, and are valid according to Betfred’s terms.

📺 How to watch Porto vs Man City

  • Date: Tuesday, 8th September, 2026
  • Kick-off: 8:00pm BST
  • Venue: Estádio do Dragão, Porto
  • TV Channel: Amazon Prime Video
  • Highlights: Amazon Prime, BBC One (Match of the Day), BBC iPlayer

Read more of our 2026/27 football season tips and predictions

About the author

Craig Mahood

Craig Mahood is an expert in sports betting and online casinos and has worked with the company since 2020. He joined the Betting & Gaming team at The Sun in June 2022 and works closely with the leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to provide content on all areas of sports betting and gaming. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter at the Scottish Sun, covering Scottish football with particular focus on Celtic and Rangers, As well as football, he has covered horse racing, boxing, darts, the Olympics and tennis for the Sun.

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