Manchester City were handed an instant Rodri reunion as the Champions League draw produced several intriguing ties for Enzo Maresca's side, leaving the Blues with one big question to answer.
The Blues have failed to go beyond the last eight since winning the trophy in 2023 and will hope that under Maresca they can go deep in the competition this season.
Barcelona, PSG and Napoli headline the fixtures
The trip to Barcelona is the obvious headline from a draw that also includes a gladiatorial home tie against PSG as well as Kevin De Bruyne's Napoli visiting the Etihad.
It's a difficult but not daunting set of league fixtures with Sporting Lisbon, Porto, AEK Athens, Leipzig and Lens the other opponents.
Summer rebuild leaves City light on numbers
The European competition will shine a light on City's squad depth this season with the Blues having undergone a major summer rebuild. A host of players have moved on and Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi have arrived with the prospect of more signings to come.
The big question with a few days left in the window is whether City have the depth and the experience to compete on all fronts.
Maresca has seen a wealth of know-how walk out of the door, with Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Nathan Ake and John Stones all leaving having started the Champions League final victory three-and-a-bit years ago. All four are in the Champions League with new clubs this term. Throw in James Trafford, Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez and Savinho, and City are light on numbers just now.
Maresca wants leadership before the window closes
Maresca admits the squad is young and wants more leadership before the window closes. His ideal squad size is 22 senior players supplemented by the likes of Ryan McAidoo, Floyd Samba and Kaden Braithwaite from the academy. At the moment City are short.
Last season Pep Guardiola made wholesale changes for a European date with Bayer Leverkusen and City put in a woeful display to suffer a dismal home defeat which left Guardiola furious. That was a night of failed auditions to get into the first XI and prompted Guardiola to say to his squad in the changing room after the game: 'You will have another manager.'
They do now have another manager and the prospect of an enthralling European campaign is one to savour, but the City hierarchy and Director of Football Hugo Viana have to ensure that Maresca's men are ready.
The Blues chief has a strong record in cup competitions having led Chelsea to the Conference League title and the Club World Cup, dismantling PSG in the final of the latter. City want more heady European nights, not Leverkusen lows. The big question is: do they have the squad to cope?
