Footballing action took center stage at the Red Bull arena in Leipzig, Germany as RB Leipzig welcomed Manchester City in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
Marco Rose went for a 4-2-3-1 formation in a game that the Cityzens of Manchester were largely dominant throughout the first half of hostilities.
Manchester City lined-up in a 4-2-3-1 formation as customary with the Pep Guardiola led side who are still hoping to get their first UEFA Champions League triumph.
The line-up of Manchester City
Manchester City started in goal with Ederson Moraes who did not have much work to do in the first half of proceedings as a defense of Walker, Diaz, Ake and Akanji did a comfortable job protecting their goal.
In defensive midfield, Pep Guardiola went with Rodri and Bernardo Silva while in the attacking phase of things in midfield; Mahrez, Gundogan and Grealish were placed there.
The attacking threat and elegant forward, Erling Haaland, started as the sole man upfront for Manchester City and he was toothless for the entire ninety (90) minutes.
The line-up of RB Leipzig
RB Leipzig who are also known as the Red Bulls started the game with Janis Blaswich in goal and Klostermann in defense alongside Orban, Gvardiol and Halstenberg.
The defensive midfielders for Leipzig were Latimer and Schlager while the men saddled with the responsibility of creation for the top nine (9) were; Werner, Forsberg and Szoboszlai.
Andre Silva was the top nine (9) upfront for the Red Bulls who couldn’t bring any bit of genius or spice throughout the first half.
Manchester City had the spark of electricity right from the get go as a through-ball was launched to find Erling Haaland on the third (3rd) minute but it was too heavy and it rolled into the waiting arms of Blaswich.
Pep Guardiola’s side continued to let their intentions known as they continued in domineering fashion for most spells throughout the first half.
In the fourteenth (14th) minute, Manchester City got their first corner of the game and Kyle Walker’s cross was pinpoint and accurate.
Diaz nodded the ball to the centre of goal but it was caught by Janis Blaswich of RasenBallsport Leipzig.
The last German team to get a victory against an English side
The last German side to defeat an English side in the UEFA Champions League did it a week ago, when Borussia Dortmund defeated Chelsea via a “fufu” led Karim Adeyemi’s amazing goal.
In the game between Manchester City and RB Leipzig, Riyadh Mahrez stood tall finishing nicely after a loose pass in defense by Schlager with three minutes close to the half of an hour and thirty minutes into action.
Jack Grealish took possession and instantly laid it onto the path of Riyad Mahrez, Mahrez ran through as Gundogan flicked the ball over to him with the Algerian international beating Janis Blaswich in goal.
In the first thirty (30) minutes of the encounter, Manchester City had eighty percent (80%) possession to RasenBallsport Leipzig twenty percent (20%).
Manchester City ended the first half the stronger of the two sides with RB Leipzig allowing the Cityzens almost take total control of the first forty-five (45) minutes.
Benjamin Henrichs came in to replace Lukas Klostermann for the second half of action.
How the second half of action went.
Marco Rose’s side became more fierce as the second half commenced with them trying to get a goal on the fifty-third (53rd) minute.
Forsberg switched the play of RB Leipzig to the left and Halstenberg put a cross into the area, Benjamin henrich is upfront and he rises high on the penalty spot to nod the ball towards goal. However he sends the header over the bar and out.
The game became more even-steven as the second half grew further but Manchester City still had the large percentage of the ball although not as domineering as the first half.
Christopher Nkunku was brought in on the sixty-sixth (66th) minute as he was introduced for Emil Forsberg.
RB Leipzig came back into reckoning in the 70th as Josko Gvardiol who was sublime at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar headed home into the far corner and beyond Ederson in goal for the Cityzens.
Josko Gvardiol’s second goal in the season
That goal by the defender of the Red Bulls is the second goal the defender has scored this season as he last scored against European giants Real Madrid in the group stage.
After the goal, Manchester City tried to go back into the lead. Three minutes after the headed goal, Jack Grealish went one-on-one with Henrichs before dropping the ball into the box for Gundogan whose instant shot was kept out by Blaswich.
Marco Rose’s side made his third substitution of the night bringing on Yussuf Poulsen who came on for Portuguese attacker Andre Silva.
Both sides continued to go at each other but Manchester City dropped in quality and ability away from the commanding first half which they had.
RasenBallsport Leipzig made their last and final substitution on the day substituting Marcel Halstenberg for David Raum who was eager to get onto the field.
Manchester City tried to snatch a win from the jaws of a draw as Riyad Mahrez won a late corner deep into stoppage time with two (2) minutes added on.
The record created by Manchester City
Pep Guardiola did not make a substitution throughout the entire duration of the game and following that incident Manchester City have become the first team to make no substitutions in a Champions League encounter since Manchester United in October 2018 against the Bianconeri’s Juventus.
The Algerian international, Riyad Mahrez, tried a one-two with Gundogan who put a cross into the box but that move didn’t have any venom as both side share the spoils on the night.
It’s light out at the Red Bull arena in Leipzig as the game ended with no one victorious and none vanquished.
Enjoy the match highlights below:
