Super Cup: Manchester City versus Sevilla [Live streaming]

UEFA Champions League (UCL) winners Manchester City make their UEFA Super Cup (USC) debut fresh from launching the defence of their Premier League title with a routine 3-0 win over Burnley. That victory came at a significant cost, with playmaker Kevin De Bruyne picking up a hamstring injury which makes him a notable absentee as they take on a Sevilla side making their seventh USC appearance.

City might lag behind in terms of USC experience, but they have dominated this H2H, winning all four prior meetings – each of them coming in UCL group-stage action via an aggregate scoreline of 12-3! Two of those H2Hs came last season, so the Cityzens might feel they know what to expect, although this will be a first clash on neutral soil as the two sides head to Greece.

Having qualified for the USC by winning the UEFA Europa League on penalties against Roma, Sevilla were beaten 2-1 on Friday by a late Valencia goal as they made a disappointing start to their La Liga campaign. And while their European campaign was a clear highlight of last term, their sole USC triumph in 2006 has been followed by defeat in their next five appearances, most recently in 2020.

Raising further doubts over Sevilla’s credentials, is that last season’s brace of H2H defeats means they have won just one of their last five European games against English opposition (D1, L3). There’s not much solace for boss José Luis Mendilibar either, as he has won just once against opposite number Pep Guardiola in eight attempts (L7), six of which were defeats ‘to nil’!

Players to watch: Julián Álvarez assisted Man City’s second goal against Burnley and notably scored minutes after coming on during his last European appearance. Youssef En-Nesyri netted Sevilla’s only goal against Valencia on Friday and in his last four goalscoring appearances in Europe, he broke the deadlock.

Hot stat: Six of the last eight USCs went to extra-time – three of which Sevilla lost.

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