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HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD
Previous meetings: 6
Manchester City wins: 4
Draws: 2
Copenhagen wins: 0
Competing in European competition for just the second time since 1978-79, Manchester City were rewarded for progressing from the 2008-09 UEFA Cup group stage with a last-32 tie against Copenhagen.
The first leg represented the first time these two teams have butted heads, with Man City forced to settle for a 2-2 draw in Denmark. Nedum Onuoha and Stephen Ireland were on the scoresheet either side of half time, and it looked as if the Citizens would hold on for a slender win until Martin Vingard rescued a draw for Copenhagen with a 91st-minute equaliser.
Just a week later, Mark Hughes's men got their revenge as they claimed a 2-1 victory at the Etihad, progressing 4-3 on aggregate to the last 16. City were initially frustrated in the first half as both Robinho and Craig Bellamy hit the woodwork, but the latter scored twice towards the end of the second half before Vingard netted a consolation strike in stoppage time.
Man City and Copenhagen had to wait 13 years for their next meeting, this time in the group stage of the 2022-23 Champions League, with a thumping 5-0 win for the Citizens on home soil followed by a goalless stalemate in Scandinavia six days later.
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Guardiola's side followed up group-stage wins over Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund with a dominant five-star display over Copenhagen on matchday three, with summer signing Haaland netting a brace inside the first 32 minutes before an own goal from Davit Khocholava added a third for the hosts. Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez then completed the rout after the break to put City on the brink of last-16 qualification.
Man City would have liked to have punched their ticket to the knockout rounds in style, but they were forced to play out a 0-0 draw with 10 men in the reverse fixture away against Copenhagen. In an eventful first half-hour, Rodri had a 25-yard strike controversially disallowed following a perceived handball in the build-up from Mahrez, who later had a penalty saved by Copenhagen goalkeeper Kamil Grabara, before Sergio Gomez was sent off for a cynical last-man foul.
Nevertheless, Man City collected the solitary point they needed to secure a top-two finish in Group G. The Citizens eventually topped the group and went on to celebrate their first-ever Champions League triumph, completing a historic treble after also winning the Premier League title and FA Cup in a memorable 2022-23 campaign.
Copenhagen were hoping to frustrate Man City once again on home soil when they welcomed the European and world champions to Parken Stadium in February 2024 for a last-16 first-leg tie. Debutant Magnus Mattsson cancelled out Kevin De Bruyne's opener with a superb first-time strike midway through the first half, but the visitors restored their advantage on the stroke of half time through Bernardo Silva, before Foden netted an important third in second-half stoppage time to ensure that the Citizens take a 3-1 lead into Wednesday's second leg at the Etihad.
Man City then won the reverse fixture a month later by the same 3-1 scoreline, claiming a 6-2 aggregate victory. Manuel Akanji and Alvarez both scored for the Citizens in the opening nine minutes before Mohamed Elyounoussi pulled one back for Copenhagen just before the half-hour mark. However, Haaland restored City's two-goal cushion on the night in first-half stoppage time.
Last five meetings:
Mar 6, 2024: Man City 3-1 Copenhagen (Champions League)
Feb 13, 2024: Copenhagen 1-3 Man City (Champions League)
Oct 11, 2022: Copenhagen 0-0 Man City (Champions League)
Oct 5, 2022: Man City 5-0 Copenhagen (Champions League)
Feb 26, 2009: Man City 2-1 Copenhagen (UEFA Cup)
Feb 19, 2009: Copenhagen 2-2 Man City (UEFA Cup)
Oliver Thomas
