London (AFP)
Pep Guardiola chose to do without a professional center forward for the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League against Dortmund on Tuesday (19:00 GMT), by starting Bernardo Silva in a false-nine position, while Sergio Agüero and Raheem Sterling are substitutes.
The rest of the City roster, which is quite widely favorites on paper, is rather unsurprising with a classic defensive hinge made up of Ruben Dias and John Stones.
Riyad Mahrez, Kevin de Bruyne and Phil Foden will be the trio of attacking midfielders responsible for animating the attack, while Ilkay Gündogan is also there from the kick-off, against his former club, as a relay midfielder.
Dortmund side, behind the danger number Erling Haaland, framed by Marco Reuss and the young Ansgar Knauff - 19 years old and only 2 appearances in the first team -, Edin Terzic preferred to start Emre Can as a defensive midfielder rather than in central defense alongside Mats Hummels.
It is Manuel Akanji who will defend in the axis while the Englishman Jude Bellingham and Mahmoud Dahoud complete the midfield.
Manchester City: Ederson - Walker, Dias, Stones, Cancelo - Rodri, Gündogan - Mahrez, De Bruyne, Foden - Silva
Coach: Pep Guardiola (ESP)
Borussia Dortmund: Hitz - Morey, Hummels, Akanji, Guerreiro - Bellingham, Can, Dahoud - Knauff, Haaland, Reus
Coach: Edin Terzic (GER)
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