Manchester City vs AEK Athens: There’s more to this matchup than meets the eye

Manchester City are set to host Greek Super League champions AEK Athens at the Etihad Stadium in a Champions League encounter. Marko Nikolic's AEK side arrives in Manchester with an unbeaten domestic record spanning a year, deploying an adaptable 4-2-2-2 system aimed at frustrating City's setup. The Greek champions rearranged domestic fixtures to base their training camp in England ahead of the clash.

AEK rely heavily on former Real Madrid forward Luka Jovic and Croatian playmaker Lovro Majer, who arrived from Wolfsburg for €6 million. However, starting striker Barnabas Varga remains doubtful following a hamstring strain, and backup goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli recently struggled in a 3-1 defeat to Shakhtar. Man City Square notes City could face a tougher test than expected if AEK settle early.