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Man City vs. Napoli: Head-to-head record and past meetings

Manchester City kick-start their Champions League campaign in the League Phase of the 2025-26 competition with a home encounter against Napoli on Thursday night.

The Citizens head into matchday one in high spirits after securing a deserved 3-0 derby victory in the Premier League over rivals Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium last weekend.

I Partenopei, meanwhile, have made a strong start to the defence of their Serie A title as they have won each of their opening three league games, most recently beating Fiorentina 3-1 away from home on Sunday.

Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.

Manchester City's Sergio Aguero in action with Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly on November 1, 2017

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 4

Manchester City wins: 2

Draws: 1

Napoli wins: 1

Manchester City and Napoli have faced each other just four times across all competitions, with each encounter taking place in the group stage of the Champions League.

All four meetings have seen both teams score at least once, but it is the Citizens who marginally lead the overall head-to-head record with two wins to I Partenopei's one, while there has also been one draw played out in this fixture.

The very first meeting between Man City and Napoli took place in September 2011 and this fixture represented the former's first ever in the Champions League. Edinson Cavani opened the scoring for the Italians, but a superb second-half free kick from Aleksandar Kolarov restored parity and rescued a 1-1 draw for the Citizens at the Etihad.

Just over two months later, Napoli secured their first and only win to date over Man City in the reverse fixture in Italy, a result that proved crucial to help I Partenopei qualify for the knockout rounds at the expense of the Citizens. Mario Balotelli was on the scoresheet for Man City, but Cavani was at the double for Napoli to seal maximum points.

Man City and Napoli had to wait six years to renew acquaintances with one another in the Champions League group stage, and it was the former who enjoyed both meetings as they did the double over their Italian counterparts.

Pep Guardiola's Citizens claimed a narrow 2-1 victory on home soil in October 2017, courtesy of first-half goals from Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus, just 15 days before City won by a 4-2 scoreline in Naples, with Sergio Aguero netting a memorable third goal which saw him become the club's all-time leading goalscorer.

Previous meetings

Nov 01, 2017: Napoli 2-4 Manchester City (Champions League Group Stage)

Oct 17, 2017: Manchester City 2-1 Napoli (Champions League Group Stage)

Nov 22, 2011: Napoli 2-1 Manchester City (Champions League Group Stage)

Sep 14, 2011: Manchester City 1-1 Napoli (Champions League Group Stage)