Manchester City will face Italian side Palermo in a friendly match as part of their preparation for the 2025/26 season. The game will help the Cityzens get ready for their first Premier League match next weekend.
Last week, City played a closed-door match against Championship side Preston North End, winning 1-0 thanks to a goal from Rico Lewis. Pep Guardiola used two different line-ups in that game, and he may do the same against Palermo on Saturday.
Early reports suggest Guardiola will leave out some of his biggest stars for the match. The friendly will be treated like a UEFA Champions League fixture, meaning certain players will not travel with the team.
As expected, several first-team players did not make the trip to Italy on Friday. Some were left behind due to injuries, while others are not part of the club’s future plans.
Palermo vs Manchester City: Pep Guardiola Gives Injury Updates
City had a tough time with injuries last season, and Guardiola is hoping to have a fully fit squad for the new campaign. However, a few players are already ruled out for the Palermo game.
Josko Gvardiol, Phil Foden, Rodri, and Claudio Echeverri will not feature, as they are considered unfit.
“Phil Foden was doing really good but he had a problem with a knock on his ankle, that’s why as a precaution we left him out,” Guardiola told reporters.
He also confirmed Rodri’s absence, explaining that the midfielder suffered a setback during the FIFA Club World Cup match against Al Hilal.
“Rodri is getting better but he had a big injury in the last game against Al Hilal. He has trained better in the last few days, hopefully after the international break is when he will be really fit,” Guardiola said.
Head To Head
Saturday’s meeting will be the first-ever Palermo vs Manchester City match. Palermo is also owned by the City Football Group, but the clubs have never faced each other in any competition.
How To Watch The Match
The game will be played at Palermo’s Stadio Renzo Barbera. It will kick-off at 20:00 BST (21:00 CEST) on Saturday, August 9.
Fans in the UK and around the world can watch it live via Manchester City’s subscription streaming service, CITY+.
In Italy, viewers can watch through SKY Go Italia, NOW TV, Sky Sport Calcio, or CITY+.