The UEFA Champions League round of 16 continues this midweek, with Manchester City taking to the field on Tuesday in a game that will decide their fate. The Premier League giants will host RB Leipzig in the 2nd leg of this tie knowing that a win is a must if they are to progress to the quarterfinals.
The Cityzens enter this tie on the back of some form, having won six out of their last eight matches across all competitions. This run includes the 3-1 victory away to Arsenal, the club that currently tops the Premier League, while also securing a tricky 1-0 triumph at Crystal Palace over the weekend.
Despite dominating the proceedings, Guardiola's men struggled to break down the Eagles and looked destined for a draw. However, Erling Haaland grabbed the winner in the 78th minute after City were awarded a penalty.
Nonetheless, De Bruyne and Co. still remain five points behind in the Premier League title race and have the FA Cup to contend with as well, which will play its part in the club's overall season. As a result, the hosts could rotate for this tie.
However, Pep will have to be careful. The Spaniard was without Kevin de Bruyne and John Stones in the 1st leg, meaning Guardiola's hand was forced, but after letting that 1-0 lead slip, the former Barcelona manager will not want to repeat this.
Riyad Mahrez, who has endured some brilliant games and disappointing performances, scored the only goal in the first leg, with Josko Gvardiol equalizing for the German outfit in the 70th minute.
Speaking ahead of this tie, Guardiola made an honest admission regarding his Manchester City spell and the club's struggles in the UEFA Champions League. The Spaniard agreed that the perception of his time at the Etihad will be heavily influenced by whether he can lead the club to European success or not. As a result, the Premier League giants cannot afford to slip up.
RB Leipzig, meanwhile, enter this clash on the back of a five-game unbeaten streak in Europe. The German outfit finished second in Group F, only a point behind Real Madrid, and won all but one of the five games that followed their back-to-back defeats at the start of the season.
Likewise, the visitors recently beat Borussia M'gladbach in the Bundesliga, triumphing 3-0 to gain some moment. In fact, since the 1-1 draw with Manchester City, Die Roten Bullen have beaten both Gladbach and Eintracht Frankfurt at home. However, there was a 2-1 loss away to Dortmund in between those two victories which should not be forgotten.
It should be noted that no German team has won at the Etihad Stadium since Guardiola pulled this off during his time with Bayern Munich. Nine matches have followed, producing zero victories.
This means Marco Rose will have to follow in the footsteps of the man he wishes to beat if RB Leipzig are to reach the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. Don't miss this clash!
Team news
Manchester City: Phil Foden picked up a foot concern not too long ago but has recovered promptly, thus leaving Guardiola with a fully-fit squad. Kevin de Bruyne is hopeful of returning to the lineup, as are Riyad Mahrez and Kyle Walker. Meanwhile, Nathan Ake, who has been exceptional in defense this season, will be tasked with stopping the opposition.
RB Leipzig: Nkunku is suffering from a hamstring issue and is sadly set to miss this game. Meanwhile, Xaver Schlager, Peter Gulacsi, and Abdou Diallo are all sidelined.
Key stats
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This will be the fourth encounter between these two clubs.
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Both sides have one win to their name, with the other fixture being the 1-1 draw in the first leg.
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RB Leipzig have lost in all of their last three away games vs. English clubs.
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Man City, meanwhile, are on a nine-match unbeaten streak at home to German clubs.
Broadcast listings
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
