Man City squad for Porto clash announced: Husanov included, who is sidelined?

Ahead of the start of the new 2026/2027 UEFA Champions League season, Manchester City has traveled to Portugal to face FC Porto in their opening away fixture. Under the guidance of Enzo Maresca, the team arrives in high spirits after securing three consecutive important victories in the domestic league. In particular, the international participation of Uzbek defender Abduqodir Husanov is at the center of attention for millions of our compatriots. So, who made Maresca's 22-man extended squad, and which key players missed the trip due to injury? At the end of the article, we reveal the main intrigue — the status of the stars left out of the squad and all the details regarding the injuries.

The coach's historical memories and the group stage calendar

The Manchester City continental campaign begins with serious tests:

• Maresca's return to the Champions League: Head coach Enzo Maresca, who won this prestigious trophy as Pep Guardiola's assistant in the 2022/2023 season, will now lead the team as head coach;

• Away match map: After the clash in Portugal, the English giants will travel to face RB Leipzig, Barcelona, and Lens;

• Intense battles at the Etihad: At home, they will host the reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, as well as AEK Athens, Napoli, and Sporting CP.

“The team heads to the Champions League in high spirits after securing confident wins in their first three Premier League matches,” the club report stated.

The 22 players traveling to Portugal and Husanov's opportunity

The list of players selected by the head coach for the away game is as follows:

• Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Gerónimo Rulli, Marcus Bettinelli;

• Defenders: Rico Lewis, Matheus Nunes, Abduqodir Husanov, Vitor Reis, Rúben Dias, Marc Guéhi, Joško Gvardiol, Rayan Aït-Nouri;

• Midfielders: Ayyoub Bouaddi, Mateo Kovačić, Elliot Anderson, Enzo Fernández, Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki;

• Forwards: Rayan McAdoo, Antoine Semenyo, Allan Elias, Iliman Ndiaye, Erling Haaland.

Key decisions and the fate of sidelined players

The most important question interesting many fans is why some key players did not travel to Portugal. The most important decision and conclusion is that, club academy graduates Kaden Braithwaite and Floyd Samba were called up to the U19 squad for the parallel UEFA Youth League match rather than traveling with the first team. Additionally, two key stars missed the trip due to health issues: Nico O'Reilly is sidelined with a back injury sustained during training, while Jérémy Doku continues to recover from a calf muscle injury.

Do you think our compatriot Abduqodir Husanov will start against Porto and contribute to his team's victory? Is Manchester City's revamped squad capable of winning the Champions League trophy this season? Leave your thoughts in the comments and share this important football news with your friends!