Manchester City had to settle for a 1-1 draw in their Champions League round-of-16 first leg on Tuesday night against German side RB Leipzig.
Pep Guardiola’s side led through Riyad Mahrez’s strike and was dominant in the match’s early stages, but RB Leipzig came back to level the scoreline through Josko Gvardiol’s header. The first half of the match was dominated by Manchester City as they looked to take control of the game.
Riyad Mahrez’s goal in the 15th minute was the catalyst for City’s dominance, and the team looked comfortable throughout the half. However, Leipzig came alive in the second half and was rewarded for their efforts in the 63rd minute.
Josko Gvardiol rose highest to head in a corner to draw the German side level. The result leaves the tie in the balance heading into the second leg in Manchester next month.
Pep Guardiola will be looking for his side to make the most of the home advantage and grab the vital win to ensure their passage through to the quarter-finals. Leipzig will be looking to use the away goal to their advantage in the return leg, and they will feel confident that they can cause an upset against the Premier League side.
The German side has shown they can match up against the best sides in Europe, and a win in Manchester would be a massive result for them. The result will be a cause for concern for Manchester City, as it is the second time they have failed to hold onto a lead in a few days.
They will need to be more clinical in front of the goal in the second leg to ensure they progress to the quarter-finals. Manchester City will now turn their attention to their Premier League match against Arsenal on Sunday, where they hope to return to winning ways.
But their focus will be firmly on the second leg against Leipzig, and they will be hoping to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.