The Club Friendlies match between Palermo vs Manchester City will be scheduled on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 20:00 UK at Renzo Barbera Stadium, Palermo, in Italy. In a historic first-ever encounter, Palermo will host Manchester City, as part of the inaugural Anglo-Palermitan Trophy, a special match celebrating Palermo’s 125th anniversary.
This unique clash isn’t just a friendly; it’s a symbolic meeting between two clubs under the City Football Group (CFG) umbrella, showcasing the global reach and shared footballing vision within the CFG family.
While Manchester City arrive as European giants with world-class depth, Palermo come into this fixture riding high on a wave of pre-season form and local pride.
Backed by passionate home support, fresh energy from manager Filippo Inzaghi, and familiar faces like former City midfielder Claudio Gomes, the Sicilian side will be determined to make a strong impression against their star-studded “sister” club. Source: City
This friendly marks the first-ever meeting between City Football Group sister clubs in this celebratory fixture, as Palermo celebrates its 125th anniversary since its founding on 11 January 1900.
Club Friendlies – Palermo vs Manchester City Preview
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Palermo have been in positive pre‑season form, winning five of their last five friendlies and looking to complete six wins in a row.
Manchester City come off a dramatic 4–3 Club World Cup extra‑time loss to Al‑Hilal. Prior friendlies included wins over Juventus and Al Ain, with strong attacking performances visible.
Predicted Lineups
Pep Guardiola faces several injury concerns heading into this final pre-season test before the Premier League season begins:
Palermo vs Manchester City Prediction Lineup
Palermo Starting XI
- Goalkeeper: Alfred Gomis or Audero
- Defense: Ceccaroni, Baniya, Diakité
- Midfield: Pierozzi, Segre, Blin, Gomes
- Attack: Di Francesco, Brunori (support), Pohjanpalo (striker)
- Coach: Filippo Inzaghi)
Potential names to watch:
- Matteo Brunori: Captain and top scorer last season in Serie B with 9 goals.
- Claudio Gomes: Former Manchester City youth product, now a defensive anchor in midfield for Palermo.
- Others: Polish defender Patryk Peda, Senegalese keeper Alfred Gomis, and US full‑back Kristoffer Lund are also likely starters.
Manchester City Starting XI
- Goalkeeper: Ederson
- Defense:
- Right-back: Rico Lewis or Matheus Nunes (covering for Kyle Walker’s departure)
- Centre-backs: Rúben Dias, Manuel Akanji
- Left-back: Joško Gvardiol or Rayan Aït-Nouri
- Midfield: Ilkay Gundoğan, Bernardo Silva, Tijjani Reijnders
- Attack:
- Right wing: Savinho or Jérémy Doku
- Striker: Erling Haaland
- Left wing: Jack Grealish or Rayan Cherki
- Manchester City (Coach): Pep Guardiola
Key Players
- Brunori (Palermo) – physical, goal‑threatening presence up front.
- Gomes (Palermo) – midfield pivot, linking defence and attack, with inside knowledge of the City style.
- Foden & Haaland (City) – capable of turning a match on its head with creativity and finishing.
- Rodri – engine in central midfield, coming off a standout Euro 2024 performance.
Head‑to‑Head Stats
This match is the first meeting between Palermo vs Manchester City at the senior level, so no prior H2H record exists.
- Mathematical projections give Manchester City roughly a 70% chance to win, versus Palermo around 40%, with draws at approximately 10%.
- City typically averages 4 goals per game in recent friendlies; Palermo’s matches are more modest—but defensively disciplined.
Palermo vs Manchester City Prediction:
Manchester City are likely to win, perhaps by a 2–1 or 3–1 scoreline—expect an entertaining game with goals from both sides.
How to Watch Palermo vs Manchester City
- Streaming worldwide is available only via CITY+ on Mancity.com or the official app, with live coverage and a full-match replay. Annual subscription around UK £34.99 (or promotional £19.99), or monthly £4.99.
- UK viewers: no live TV broadcast; exclusive to CITY+ subscribers.
- Highlights and goal clips expected on both clubs’ official channels post-match.
