On July 24 at 7:30 AM, a preseason friendly match will take place between Manchester City and Celtic. Manchester City will be playing their first warm-up game of the new season with many key players absent; Celtic, on the other hand, have already played three friendlies and have a relatively complete squad.
Manchester City were last season’s Premier League champions, securing an unprecedented fourth consecutive title. However, they failed to defend their titles in both the Champions League and the FA Cup. Celtic were the champions of the Scottish league last season, finishing well ahead of their arch-rivals, Rangers.
While there have been numerous rumors surrounding Manchester City during the summer transfer window, so far, they have only signed Savigny. Players such as Ederson and De Bruyne have been linked with moves away from the club. Additionally, players like Rodri who participated in this summer’s European Championship and Copa America have not returned to the team. The match against Celtic will feature a purely reserve lineup for Manchester City. However, players like Haaland and Grealish are also part of the squad preparing for the game.
Compared to Manchester City, Celtic have a more intact squad, and their manager is Rodgers, who previously managed Liverpool, giving him familiarity with his former Premier League rival, Manchester City.
The match against Celtic is Manchester City’s first friendly of the preseason. Before the game, Guardiola stated that the main goal is to evaluate players, including James McAtee, who has returned from Sheffield United, among others who are under close observation.
While Manchester City are playing their first friendly of the preseason, Celtic have already played three warm-up matches, achieving two wins and one draw without defeat. They scored eleven goals across these three games. On July 21, they won 4-0 against D.C. United in a friendly, with O’Riley scoring twice, Johnston netting a goal, but also missing a penalty.
Manchester City and Celtic faced each other in the 2016-17 Champions League season, with both matches ending in draws. Manchester City’s last victory over Celtic dates back to a 2009 friendly, winning 2-1.
Given that it’s a friendly match, the outcome is unpredictable, especially considering Manchester City’s reserve lineup and this being their first warm-up game of the preparation period. While Celtic may not match Manchester City on paper, they are well into their preparations and have benefited from several friendlies, which should make them easier to get into the game.
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