Played
July 13, 2012 6:00 PM WAT
Tivoli Stadion Tirol — Innsbruck
 
 

Manchester City - Al Hilal Preview: Mancini begins preparations for title defence

The Premier League champions kick off their pre-season tour of Austria with a warm-up game against the Saudi Arabian outfit

By James McManus

EPL - Manchester City v Queens Park Rangers, Assistant coach Brian Kidd and Roberto Mancini
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  PROBABLE LINEUPS

AL HILAL

Sharahili
Al-Bishi, Radoi, Hawasawi, Al-Marshedi
Wilhelmsson, Al-Fraidi, Al-Qarni, Al-Shalhoub
Soo Yoo, Al-Qahtani
MANCHESTER CITY

Hart
Zabaleta, Kompany, Toure, Clichy
Johnson, De Jong, Barry, Nasri
Aguero, Tevez

Manchester City go into their first pre-season game of a three-match tour in Innsbruck, Austria with nearly a full squad to pick from.

Only Micah Richards is missing ahead of the game against Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, after being called up by Team GB for this summer's Olympic Games.

Former PSG boss Antoine Kombouare took over the reins late last month and will have to find a way for the deposed Saudi Professional League champions to wrestle back their title from rivals Al-Shabab.

  DID YOU KNOW?
  • Swedish winger Christian Wilhelmsson (pictured right) was one of only two players at Euro 2012 plying their trade outside of Europe - the other being LA Galaxy's Robbie Keane.
  • Al Hilal have won their domestic league five times in the last ten years.
  • They have also emerged victorious in their domestic cup competition - The Crown Prince Cup - for the last five years running.
  • The club's nickname is Al-Za'eem which translates as 'The Leader'.
  • Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has a 60.28 per cent win ratio after coming out victorious in 85 of his 141 competitive games in charge of the club.
  • City's title success last season marked the end of a 44-year drought.
  • Mancini's side emerged with a 100% win rate from their five pre-season games last year, which was preserved by beating LA Galaxy on penalties 7-6.
  • Of all the memebers of the first-team squad, the absent Richards has been at the club the longest, making his debut in 2005, despite being just 24 years of age.


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Club Friendlies ‎(FR)‎ Jul 13, 2012 Al Hilal (Riyadh) 1 - Manchester City 0
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Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Edin  Dzeko Edin Dzeko
Striker
Man City
2 0
César Azpilicueta César Azpilicueta
Defender
Chelsea
1 1
Marco Di Vaio Marco Di Vaio
Striker
Montreal Impact
1 0
Micah Richards Micah Richards
Defender
Man City
1 0
Javi García Javi García
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Man City
1 0