Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the second leg of the Champions League final qualifying round tie between Manchester City and Steaua Bucuresti.

When the draw for the final qualifying round was made a few weeks ago, it was generally considered that City had fallen on their feet in terms of opponents and that's exactly how it proved in Romania as they hit five past a disappointing Bucuresti outfit who also conceded two penalties in the first 20 minutes. It has resulted in tonight's fixture effectively being deemed unnecessary but as are the rules, both teams must go through the motions at the Etihad Stadium.

That said, this fixture will represent an opportunity to a number of City players to impress Pep Guardiola but for one player, he is saying goodbye - at least for the time being - to a group of supporters who he has played in front of for the past decade. It's no secret that goalkeeper Joe Hart has been given permission to depart City should he be able to fix himself up with a new club but he has been selected by the coach who doesn't rate him as a suitable contender to be first choice at the club.

Guardiola won't want the situation involving Hart to provide any distraction from the job in hand but the England international is naturally going to receive a lot of attention this evening, potentially more so from the sidelines than the Bucuresti forwards. It remains unclear as to what is next for Hart and who he could sign for but for now, he will aim to complete 90 minutes in the most professional way possible.

Anyway, without further ado, let's take a look at the team news emerging from the North-West. Hart starts but who else takes their place in the City side?

MANCHESTER CITY XI: Hart; Maffeo, Stones, Kolarov, Clichy; Fernando, Toure; Delph, Nolito, Navas; Iheanacho

MANCHESTER CITY SUBSTITUTES: Gunn, Adarabioyo, Angelino, Fernandinho, Aguero, Sterling, Silva

STEAUA BUCURESTI XI: Cojocaru, Mitrea, Tamas, Hamroun, Tudorie, Muniru Sulley, Momcilovic, Aganovic, Popescu, Enache

In total, Guardiola has made eight alterations to the side that started the first leg in Romania. As well as Hart being brought into the team, Yaya Toure gets a much-needed start in midfield, as does Kelechi Iheanacho in attack. There is also a first City start for Spanish Under-19 right-back Pablo Maffeo.

I'm not sure that they will be needed but the likes of Raheem Sterling, David Silva and Sergio Aguero are all on the substitutes' bench, just incase Bucuresti somehow start scoring a few goals. Tosin Adarabioyo and Angelino are two prospects that could be given some more minutes in the first team.

Hart is going to feature heavily in the build-up to this game so we may as well point you in the direction of some comments made by his former boss Stuart Pearce. Click here to see what he has had to say.

Hart has made a total of 347 appearances for City in all competitions since he was signed from Shrewsbury Town for £600,000. During that time, he has had loan spells at Tranmere Rovers, Blackpool and Birmingham City but he has been City's number one for the last six seasons and it is going to be strange to see someone else between the sticks for the Citizens. This may not be the end for Hart if he goes out on loan but with Claudio Bravo having arrived from Barcelona, this will be treated as Hart's farewell to the club after 10 years and 348 games.

Many of you won't know much about Pablo Maffeo so let's attempt to bring you a bit of information on the debutant. He is 19 years of age and began his career at Espanyol before making the switch the City at the start of last season. He made a few appearances on the bench under Manuel Pellegrini without ever making his first-team bow and he was subsequently loaned out to Spanish second-tier side Girona FC. He's now back at City aiming to make an impression and while he faces being third choice behind Zabaleta and Sagna, he is certainly in the right place to learn his trade.

Another 19-year-old getting his chance tonight is Kelechi Iheanacho. After his performances last season, the Nigerian perhaps considers himself unlucky not to have earned more starts in a City shirt but they will surely come sooner rather than later. A game barely goes by without someone having to think of superlatives to describe the forward and I am expecting more of the same tonight. With Nolito likely to spend much of the season on the flank, Iheanacho can make the second-choice spot to Aguero his own should he net a couple tonight and who would back against him? In 11 starts and 26 substitute appearances, he has already scored 14 goals in a City shirt.

Something to think about if and when the goals start flowing at the Etihad...

A two-goal margin win on the night would set a new #UCL play-offs aggregate record. #nottemptingfate #cityvsteaua pic.twitter.com/S1lHEwyHzR — Manchester City (@ManCity) 24 August 2016

If and when City progress this evening, they will progress through to the group-stage draw, which takes place tomorrow evening. Their seeding pot is yet to be confirmed by UEFA but they are extremely likely to feature in Pot Two alongside the likes of Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal. It would leave open the possibility of facing Barcelona, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich but given the investment that has taken place this summer, I doubt Guardiola and City fear anyone.

PREDICTION! It will come as no surprise to you that we are predicting a City win this evening but by how many? They are lacking the same level of star quality that they usually possess but many of the players on show are desperate to show Guardiola what they can do. We are going for a 3-0 victory for the home side.

If one-sided Champions League ties aren't your thing, then how about an EFL Cup match? We have full coverage of the contest between North-West sides Accrington Stanley and Burnley.

Here come the two teams with City being led by Hart, who has been handed the captaincy this evening. There are plenty of banners in the crowd saying thanks for his service for the club, which is nice to see.

Hart's name is read out by the stadium announcer and he gets a huge ovation. You get the impression that they are disappointed to see him exit...

City get us underway.

Hart gets his first touch of the ball and it's a round of applause. It could be like this all night.

City have made a couple of flurries forward down either flank but so far, they haven't entered the penalty area. A weakened Bucuresti side are already packing everyone behind the ball.

SHOT! Oh dear. Kolarov is given all the time in the world to move closer towards goal but his 45-yard strike is completely shanked and it goes closer to the corner flag than the goal.

SHOT! Kolarov gets into a similar kind of position but he seems less eager to get a shot away this time. I wonder why. Instead, he passes to Iheanacho who is able to turn and get a low shot away, only to see it comfortably saved by the goalkeeper.

SHOT! Iheanacho wins a free kick for City around 35 yards from goal and Toure and Nolito take an immediate interest. Nolito leaves it to his teammate but he can only curl it a yard or two wide of the post.

This is turning out to be nothing more than a training exercise for City. It's very much attack versus defence. City have had 76% of possession but they need to be using the ball a lot quicker than they are doing right now.

Bit better from City who have Nolito thread a ball through to Delph, who seems to be operating on the left side of midfield. He fails to make best use of it, however, and ends up committing a foul.

SHOT! City get the ball through to Iheanacho but his shot is a little rushed and deflected into the hands of the goalkeeper. He already looks frustrated with the tactics being adopted by Bucuresti. This could act as a beneficial learning curve for the youngster.

SHOT! Nolito has looked the most lively out of all the City attackers but he's had to wait for a chance in front of goal and this was it. Navas's cross found his Spanish compatriot but the forward could only volley into the hands of the goalkeeper. It was a difficult chance but he is capable of doing better.

We haven't seen much of Toure but he has just advanced into the penalty area to try to collect a high ball. However, the Ivorian received a knock to his ankle from a defender - unintentionally - and he is struggling. He needs to attempt to continue given his lack of minutes this season.

Finally, some ambition from the visitors. They work a situation down the left where they are able to take advantage of the inexperience of Maffeo and they are able to deliver the ball to the back post. Clichy is there, however, to head clear.

Much better from Bucuresti who earn a corner thanks to Enache. An outswinging corner is whipped in but Tudorie's header is deflected over Hart's crossbar. A second set piece causes more confusion but Toure gets up to head clear ahead of Hart.

Given the way this match has panned out, it would come as no surprise if the likes of Aguero and Sterling are introduced to inject a bit of pace. They don't need to play tonight but Guardiola may want to make a statement to his second-string that this isn't good enough.

Hamroun is starting to have some joy when faced with Maffeo and he outmuscles the youngster in order to reach the byline. Unfortunately for the Bucuresti player, he is no match for Stones who eases the ball out of play.

The half-time whistle goes at the Etihad and we remain goalless. Most people could have probably predicted that after the first 10 minutes because City are struggling for space to create anything in front of goal. Bucuresti would be ecstatic to take a 0-0 draw back to Romania and that result has to be favourite right now.

The two teams are back out. Let's hope we see a better second half! Bucuresti get us back underway.

Both sides have attempted an attack since the restart but once again, the defences are very much on top.

One of the view City players who is putting everything into this is Nolito. He isn't being given the openings in front of goal that he would like but his work-rate will be a valuable asset to City this season.

SUBSTITUTIONS! Bucuresti are going to make an alteration with Stanciu coming on for Aganovic, who hasn't really touched the ball. Popa is also being introduced for Popescu.

CHANCE! City finally create a meaningful chance and it comes for Delph of all people. Iheanacho slides a perfectly-weighted ball through to the midfielder but on his weaker right foot, he shoots straight at the goalkeeper from 10 yards.

He came close a minute ago but now he has found the back of the net. He's a great goal too with Iheanacho laying the ball off to Navas to cross in for Delph, and the midfielder is there to direct a glancing header into the bottom corner from six yards.

SUBSTITUTIONS! It's time for the City youngsters. Adarabioyo is coming on to replace Stones in the centre of defence and Noltio is making way for Angelino.

SUBSTITUTION! Third and final change for Steaua with Achim replacing the impressive Sulley. I wonder if City's last change will see Hart replaced by Gunn in order to give him a standing ovation...

Delph sets up Angelino to cross the ball from the left but it is straight at the defender. At least the youngster is showing the ambition to get into a crossing position.

With a break in play, the City fans are on their feet as they sing a song for Hart. It won't change Guardiola's decision but he is being told in no uncertain terms that they want Hart to remain at the Etihad.

Twenty minutes to go at the Etihad. Bucuresti are starting to show more ambition but it would come as a huge surprise if they denied Hart a clean sheet tonight. He is yet to be troubled.

SAVE! Bucuresti have very nearly equalised! After Hart tipped a free kick over the bar, the Romanian side worked a situation that ends with the ball finding Tudorie but after taking a touch, his shot is saved by the onrushing Hart.

SUBSTITUTION! Hart is going to complete this match because Iheanacho has pulled up with a leg injury. It looks like a pulled muscle. Fernandinho is going to take his place.

To Steaua's credit, they have performed with much more ambition during this second half. They have just as many opportunities as their hosts. Hamroun just tried his luck with a volley from 30 yards but it flashed harmlessly wide of the post.

This has been a decent test for the youngsters in City's defence. It would have been easy to lose concentration but they have kept their focus to nullify the threat that has started to come from Steaua. They may have a part to play later in the season.

There will be four minutes of added-on time. I'm not sure why...

"There's only one Joe Hart" rings around the Etihad for the final time...

The full-time whistle goes at the Etihad and City have booked their place in the Champions League group stages with a routine win over Bucuresti. As expected, tonight's game was played out at a low tempo but City still had more than enough to earn their place in the next stage of the competition.

That will be all from Sports Mole for this game. Thank you for joining us this evening and we hope to see you four our coverage of the Europa League tomorrow night. Goodbye for now.