Group B: Manchester City vs RB Leipzig
UEFA Champions League
Date: Wednesday, 15 September 2021
Location: Etihad Stadium
Kick-off: 20:00 UK/ 21:00 CET
Manchester City is one of the early favorites to win the Champions League and improve on their second-place result from last season.
The Cityzens felt the anguish of coming agonizingly close, but it was made much more terrible by the fact that they lost to a Premier League team.
Chelsea defeated Man City in the spring, and the outcome still stings in the throats of everyone linked with the club.
Pep Guardiola’s team will go all hardest to start the season on a high note.
They want to get three points from this game and go to the tournament’s knockout rounds as Group A champions. This will be their first encounter with RB Leipzig, which means there will be a lot of expectations.
Manchester City vs RB Leipzig Head to head
These two sides did not have an opportunity to lock horns in the past.
Manchester City vs RB Leipzig Prediction
Man City holds the home advantage, the support of the crowd and go in with the better recent form of the two.
The locals will be confident in their ability to get off to a winning start, grab three points and hit the front of the group early.
This is a tough pool, but a win from the opening day would set the champions of England off on the right track.
Expect their usual brand of attacking football. RB Leipzig couldn’t have imagined a worse start to the season, losing three of four league games and shipping six goals.
Bayern Munich completely outclassed them at the weekend, and it will be interesting to see how the players respond to that.
Will they carry the hurt with them into this match or use it to fuel a fightback? We’ll soon find out.
It won’t be easy as the stakes are so high, but if Man City are at their best and RB Leipzig haven’t recovered from that weekend mauling, it could end up a painful night for the Germans on their travels.
Manchester City vs RB Leipzig team news
City have welcomed Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne back to the fold in recent days, and both men are in contention to feature this week after being named on the bench at the King Power at the weekend.
The returns of De Bruyne and Foden leaves the COVID-positive Zack Steffen as City’s only absentee through illness or injury, while Benjamin Mendy has been remanded in custody after being charged with rape and sexual assault.
John Stones has seen his opportunities limited so far this term but will hope to displace Aymeric Laporte here, while Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling could be introduced in an attacking reshuffle.
Meanwhile, Leipzig defender Marcelo Saracchi continues to rehabilitate following a cruciate ligament tear, while Marcel Halstenberg is nursing an ankle problem.
Angelino was fit enough to play 58 minutes against Bayern after shaking off a muscular issue, while Lukas Klostermann is an option for change on the opposite side over Nordi Mukiele.
Marsch will certainly ponder further alterations after his side were humbled by Bayern, with Amadou Haidara and Emil Forsberg among those pushing for places.
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Walker, Dias, Stones, Cancelo; Rodri, Gundogan, Silva; Mahrez, De Bruyne, Sterling
RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:
Gulacsi; Klostermann, Orban, Simakan, Angelino; Laimer, Haidara; Nkunku, Olmo, Szoboszlai; Silva
