RUNNERS AND RIDERS

City go into Monday's Champions League knockout round draw with the following possible opponents (in bold via Mancity.com):

Of these sides, City have played PSG the most, 7 times in all, followed by 4 each against Napoli, Porto and FC Copenhagen. 

City's first encounter with the Parisiens dates back to 2008, a meandering odyssey of a European campaign that took in the Faroe Islands, Denmark three times and a weird lop-sided 5-team group format that saw some teams played at home only, others away only. PSG were only played in Manchester that season, hence the uneven total of games played against the French champions (7). An uninspiring 0-0 draw was perhaps predictable with City's attack featuring Jo, Darius Vassell and Daniel Sturridge. PSG hit back with their own non-scoring attack of Chelsea failure Mateja Kežman, with another ageing ex-Pensioner Claude Makélélé prompting in midfield.

The inevitable Jo

Since then, City's record against the French is good (4 wins, a draw and a defeat) and there is nothing to see from this season's PSG side that would offer reasons for fear if drawn against them at this stage. They came through a tough group featuring Newcastle, Milan and Dortmund, but escaped by the skin of their teeth in a tight finish.

A tie against Napoli would have been unwanted last season, but this year's form has been soft and Inter would now provide a sterner challenge and a repeat of last year's final. Napoli were City's first-ever Champions League opponents in 2011 and the record against them is Played 4, Won 2 Drawn 1 Lost 1.

It was during the superb 4-2 win at the San Paolo in 2017 that Sergio Aguero broke the City scoring record. 

Aguero celebrates in the San Paolo

Last year's final is the only time City have played Inter, while the other possible Italian opponents, Lazio, have never been faced in European competition. They did provide City's opposition for the annual Thomas Cook preseason trophy match in August 2004, however, being well beaten 3-1 by a City side for whom Nicolas Anelka scored after 30 seconds.

Anelka nets the early opener against Lazio in 2004

City have played Porto and Copenhagen four times each in Europe, meaning neither opponent would be an unknown quantity and neither venue a new one for travelling fans. The first trip to Porto for the 2011 Europa League round of 32 match was a memorable one for many Blues fans, taking in a wonderful sunny day by the banks of the River Douro, followed by a great City win at the Dragao. A 4-0 tonking in the return game, coupled with more recent Champions League encounters means City's balance against the Portuguese is also a positive one: Played 4, won 3, drawn 1.

City fans gather at the Cais da Ribeira in Porto on the day of the 2011 match (2-1)

Copenhagen provided City's opposition last season in the group stages (5-0 and 0-0) and in the same Europa League campaign that saw City face PSG for the first time (2-1 and 2-2) meaning they are one of the most scored-against City opponents in European football with a total of 9 conceded in the four matches played so far. Their manager Stale Solbakken has also gone down in history as the first to start bleating about City's finances and the club's standing in what he considered the Greater Scheme of Things. (see below) 

Extract from City in Europe

Which leaves us with PSV Eindhoven, possibly the favourite choice amongst travelling fans, as it would be easy to get to and also represents a potential first-time opponent. PSV provided City with summer opposition during the infamous Sittard Tournament of 1993, when the Blues faced local side Fortuna, Bobby Robson's Sporting and PSV in a four-team group. The match with PSV ended 1-1 and was won by City on penalties. This correspondent missed the goal by Gary Flitcroft as the queue for chips was long and slow. 

A rainy night against Copenhagen. Richard Dunne is first to the ball.

You can read in detail about all of these games in City in Europe, From Allison to Guardiola, in all good bookshops now! City in Europe: From Allison to Guardiola:... by Curtis, Simon (amazon.co.uk)