Foden captains Manchester City in Maresca’s first pre-season match against Inter

Photo: Ank kumar / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Phil Foden will wear the captain's armband as Manchester City face Inter Milan in Hong Kong on Saturday, marking Enzo Maresca's first match in charge. Kick-off is scheduled for 12:30 (UK time), with the Asahi Super Dry Trophy on the line.

City's starting eleven contains nine internationals despite several key players remaining unavailable after this summer's World Cup. The two spots are filled by youngsters Stephen Mfuni and Divin Mubama.

Rico Lewis is expected to play at right-back, with Mfuni on the left and the centre-back pairing of Abdukodir Khusanov and Josko Gvardiol. Mateo Kovacic and Tijjani Reijnders will operate in central midfield, with Foden, Antoine Semenyo and Savinho rotating ahead of them. Mubama leads the line.

Mfuni, 18, made his City debut as a substitute in the FA Cup win over Exeter City in January before joining Watford on loan for the remainder of the season. The defender can play at left-back or in the middle.

Mubama, 21, has made two appearances for City's first team, scoring in the 8-0 victory over Salford City in January 2025. The forward is described as a powerful and intelligent player.

A total of 28 players are in the travelling party and available for selection, with rotation expected throughout the 90 minutes. If the match is level after normal time, the result will be decided by a penalty shootout.

The fixture also marks the first competitive outing for City's new 2026/27 PUMA away kit, which was unveiled earlier this week. The black and yellow design features a swarm of worker bees referencing the Manchester bee symbol.

The match carries added significance given the clubs' history. City defeated Inter in the 2023 Champions League final, and defender John Stones — widely regarded as that match's standout performer — signed for Inter this week after ten years at City following England's run to the World Cup semi-finals.