RB Leipzig and Manchester City will clash in their Champions League Round of 16. On Tuesday evening, the 14th match is in 2023, which promises to be thrilling. To advance to the quarterfinals, Manchester City will try to win, while Leipzig hopes to cause an upset.
Both teams have had their share of injuries, with Leipzig missing key midfielders Christopher Nkunku and Xaver Schlager. In contrast, Manchester City has had to contend with Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez missing out on recent games.
However, both teams have had positives to take from the first leg; Leipzig managed to battle back from a goal down to draw 1-1, while Manchester City will be pleased to have secured an away goal.
Leipzig coach Marco Rose has admitted that his team faces an uphill task but remains optimistic that they can cause an upset. Rose believes that his side must find the right balance between attacking and defending and that they need to show courage and confidence to succeed.
Rose has been boosted by the return of Spain forward Dani Olmo, who returned from a six-week lay-off in a 3-0 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday.
Rose believes that Olmo can contribute, even if he isn’t at his best. On the other hand, Manchester City has been able to welcome back Phil Foden from a knock, and he featured in their win over Crystal Palace at the weekend. De Bruyne, Mahrez, and Walker are all set to return to the starting lineup, and City has a fully fit squad.
De Bruyne has dismissed any suggestions that Manchester City’s style of play will hinder Erling Haaland’s effectiveness and believes it is essential to have different options in the team.
Pep Guardiola has urged De Bruyne to focus on the ‘simple things’ if he is to get back to his best and has noted that it has been a difficult season for all involved due to the World Cup and various other factors.
Guardiola also admits that his side still has work to do against Leipzig, and he will be looking for his side to increase their control over the game and play better than they did in the first leg. It is an exciting game between two teams aiming to go to the quarterfinals of the Champions League. Leipzig will be hoping to cause an upset, while City will be looking to take advantage of their fully fit squad. It will be interesting to see who succeeds.