The match comes with City slipping in the Premier League – their win over relegation battlers Luton Town on Sunday (Monday NZ time) was their first in five matches – and with a trip to Saudi Arabia for the FIFA Club World Cup looming next week, their coach Pep Guardiola could be tempted to make wholesale changes in Belgrade.
That would only ever-so-slightly increase the chances of an upset, whether a draw or an upset win for Red Star, but regardless of who takes the field, Stamenić is looking forward to welcoming City to his club’s 52,000-capacity stadium, known as the Marakana.
“They’re very special games to play in. A European game at the Marakana is a crazy experience in itself and to have Manchester City there – and to hopefully get three points against them – will be huge for not only the club, but also the fans and for the country as well.
“It's a huge occasion, and I can't wait for it to come.”
Stamenić’s meetings with City have carried extra meaning for his family, as his dad Niko is a die-hard supporter of the club.
But while they brought him up against some of the biggest names active in football today, he didn’t seek to swap shirts after his two matches last year, wanting to keep his as mementos from his first season playing in the Champions League.
That changed this season. “I swapped shirts with Rodri, mainly because at the time we were playing the same position and he’s an unbelievable player – he's probably the best form of his life right now.
“I took the opportunity to ask him for a shirt and I'm really happy to be able to hold that as a memory of playing against them.”
