Copyright GIVEMESPORT
Manchester City will be looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the Champions League campaign when they take on Bundesliga heavyweights Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, and head coach Pep Guardiola is contemplating whether to make alterations to his side. The Sky Blues have overcome Serie A title-holders Napoli and Spanish outfit Villarreal in the early stages of the league phase, either side of grabbing a share of the spoils against Ligue 1 giants Monaco, and they are also in high spirits after beating Bournemouth in their most recent domestic outing. Borussia Dortmund, under the tutelage of boss Niko Kovac, have also been victorious in two of their first three fixtures on the European stage this season. GIVEMESPORT has compiled the team news and predicted how both sides will start the encounter at the Etihad Stadium. Man City Team News Guardiola has confirmed that central midfielder Mateo Kovacic, who has not made a single start for Manchester City this season after being forced to undergo Achilles surgery during the summer, will be out of action for a sustained period due to sustaining an ankle injury. Although Abdukodir Khusanov and Oscar Bobb were not included in the matchday squad for the Sky Blues' Premier League win over Bournemouth last weekend, their respective omissions were for selection reasons rather than them being on the treatment table. Rodri is expected to come into the starting line-up, but Omar Marmoush, John Stones, Tijjani Reijnders and Nathan Ake - who are on contracts worth a combined total of £935,000-per-week before bonuses - are on course to be named among the substitutes. Guardiola has suggested that Kovacic is facing a number of months on the sidelines, meaning that he will miss Manchester City's clash with Borussia Dortmund and a host of other fixtures. The tactician said: "He will be out for a while. He still has a problem with the ankle, a little calcification is still there. We'll wait on him for the last part of the season." Man City Predicted XI Manchester City Predicted XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly; Rodri, Silva; Cherki, Foden, Doku; Haaland. Manchester City Predicted Substitutes: Trafford (GK), Ortega (GK), Stones (DEF), Ake (DEF), Ait-Nouri (DEF), Khusanov (DEF), Lewis (DEF), Reijnders (MID), Gonzalez (MID), Savinho (MID), Bobb (MID), Marmoush (FWD). Borussia Dortmund Team News Nico Schlotterbeck is targeting a return to Borussia Dortmund's starting line-up after missing last week's Bundesliga win over Augsburg through illness, but fellow central defender Niklas Sule will not be involved despite edging towards a full recovery from a toe injury. Julian Brandt also did not travel with the squad. Aaron Anselmino, who is on a season-long loan from Chelsea, is in danger of being dropped to the bench and former Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham is seeking to be involved for the German giants after already grabbing two assists in the Champions League this season. Julien Duranville is plotting his comeback from a shoulder problem after being involved in training sessions, but goalkeeper Patrick Drewes and defensive midfielder Salih Ozcan are ineligible after head coach Kovac opted against including either of them in his squad for the league phase. Kovac, speaking in his pre-match press conference, confirmed that toe and muscular problems are keeping Sule and Brandt out of contention respectively. He said: "Niki Sule is not participating due to his toe. In Jule's [Brandt] case, the risk was a bit too great due to a muscular issue." Borussia Dortmund Predicted XI
