Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega has been handed his debut for this evening's Champions League encounter away against Borussia Dortmund.
The 29-year-old, who joined the Citizens on a free transfer from Arminia Bielefeld over the summer, has had to play second fiddle behind first-choice stopper Ederson throughout this season, but Pep Guardiola has decided to name the German in his starting lineup for their clash at Westfalenstadion.
Ortega is one of six changes made to Guardiola's first XI following last weekend's 3-1 Premier League win over Brighton & Hove Albion, and City have been boosted by the return of John Stones, who is making his first appearance for the club since September 17 after a spell out with a hamstring injury.
Stones and Nathan Ake has been recalled in defence with Aymeric Laporte and former Dortmund man Manuel Akanji dropping to the bench, while Ruben Dias and Joao Cancelo keep their places in the back four.
Guadiola has notably decided to bench star playmakers Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva, with Phil Foden potentially operating in a central midfield role alongside Rodri and captain Ilkay Gundogan - another former BVB player returning to familiar territory.
Indeed, Foden could also occupy the left flank, with Riyad Mahrez out on the right, should Guardiola set up with a 4-4-2 formation.
In attack, goal machine Erling Braut Haaland, who signed for City from Dortmund over the summer, will be supported by Julian Alvarez, who is starting his third successive Champions League match.
As for Dortmund, England international Jude Bellingham and 17-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko are among those named in Edin Terzic's starting lineup.
Borussia Dortmund starting lineup: Kobel; Sule, Hummels, Schlotterbeck; Hazard, Bellingham, Can, Brandt, Reyna; Adeyemi, Moukoko
Subs: Meyer, Unbehaun, Wolf, Modeste, Malen, Passlack, Rothe, Coulibaly, Papadopolous
Manchester City starting lineup: Ortega; Stones, Dias, Ake, Cancelo; Mahrez, Rodri, Gundogan, Foden; Alvarez, Haaland
Subs: Ederson, Carson, Laporte, Grealish, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Akanji, Palmer, Lewis, Wilson-Esbrand body check tags ::
