TEAM NEWS
Schalke
Rabbi Matondo will face his former side sooner than expected after moving to Lyon from City a month ago. His first start for his new club came as Schalke posted a goal-less draw against Freiburg at the weekend. However, Yevhen Konoplyanka is in contention to return in attacking midfield, so Matondo may have to wait longer for his on-field appearance against his former side.
Benjamin Stambouli and Sebastian Rudy are both one booking away from missing the return leg, while Omar Mascarell is suspended. Lyon's squad is full of former City players as Rudy should start in defensive midfield, sitting in front of Matija Nastasic.
Manchester City
Between the victories over Chelsea and Newport County, Pep Guardiola made seven changes meaning the likes of Phil Foden could show his worth for City by scoring two fabulous goals. Despite his success at Rodney Parade, Foden is unlikely to shift the likes of Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva out of the ranks as City face a tough clash against Schalke. There have been no indications that Guardiola will select a weakened starting XI, with Vincent Kompany and Benjamin Mendy sitting out through injury.
Riyad Mahrez had fallen out of favour with Guardiola in the run up to the Newport County but was the player who delivered the most assists against the League Two side. However, Raheem Sterling is likely to get the nod over Mahrez on the left flank while Sergio Aguero will likely start ahead of Gabriel Jesus down the middle. Bernardo Silva has been performing well for City and should appear on the right for Guardiola, likely to mean Leroy Sane will join the substitutes bench.
Since Kompany and Mendy are still out with injuries, Guardiola will choose between Oleksandr Zinchenko and Fabian Delph for a place at left-back.
MANAGERS' THOUGHTS
Domenico Tedesco
"Of course we believe in a victory. We are the underdog, we are clearly not the favourites. But nevertheless, we deserved to make it through to the last 16 and were competitive against strong teams in the group phase. We managed to achieve 11 points in our group."
"But we know Manchester City are a strong team to oppose. We need to have our best day."
Tedesco on Rabbi Matondo: "He was born in 2000. We have followed the player for a long time, and we had a good feeling about him from the start," he said. "He's a very young player. We and he need patience."
Pep Guardiola
"It is a special competition, we have to control our emotions. We are confident and it is important to score away an goal."
“I believe the team can do better things than the first season," he said. "We know each other much better. But this competition is special. The teams are good. You have to control your emotions. You have to suffer and survive the bad moments. But we are confident."
Guardiola's comments on injuries to John Stones and Gabriel Jesus: “I don’t think it is a big, big problem but enough for them not to come.”
FORM GUIDE
DID YOU KNOW?
The two face each other in a third European competition after meeting in 1970 in the Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Cup in 2008. City beat Schalke 5-2 in the semi-final of the first of those competitions. More recently, yet still a decade ago, the Citizens claimed a 2-0 victory over Schalke in the UEFA Cup group stage thanks to goals from Benjani and Stephen Ireland.
Kompany is the only player still with City to have played in that match.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Schalke
Fahrmann; Caligiuri, Sane, Nastasic, Oczipka; Bentaleb, Rudy; Uth, McKennie, Konoplyanka; Burgstaller
Manchester City
Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Zinchenko; De Bruyne, Fernandinho, D.Silva; Bernardo, Aguero, Sterling