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Thanks for joining us today for our coverage and be sure to check out our post-match analysis.
Good night!
🗣Post-Pep talk
"We have scored 16 goals in our last three games here. I ask the people to come . We need the people on Saturday at 3pm versus Southampton because we will be tired. "
50 not out!
Fastest to fifty! 💪
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 15, 2021
🔷 6-3 ⚫️ #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/tojFqftKxC
Onto the next one!
City host Southampton at 3pm on Saturday in the Premier League but their next European outing will be a trip to Paris in two weeks time.
Get your City fix here!
Stay with us for post-match quotes and be sure to check out our warm-down piece in the aftermatch of the game.
50 up for City in the UCL
That win is City's 50th in the UCL in their 91st game. The second-quickest any team has reached that milestone ahead of Barcelona (50 in 93) and just behind Real Madrid (50 in 88). @spbajko
City stand alone!
With PSG drawing in Belgium (1-1) with Club Brugge City are clear at the top of Group A after MD1.
FULL TIME: CITY 6-3 LEIZPIG
City hit Leipzig for six on another entertaining night at the Etihad. A better game in the second half. Much more free-flowing despite the fact there were four goals scored in the first half.
90+3' Chance!
Tremendous workrate from Fernandinho since has came on wins it back and releases Mahrez but he shoots straight at Gulasci.
90'
There will be four minutes added on at the end of this game.
87'
The goal stands. Gabriel Jesus scores on his 200th Manchester City appearance. He pounced on the loose ball in the area and smashed it into the roof of the net.
87' GOAL!!!!!!
It's six!!!
15 goals in three home games this season
5-0 Norwich.
5-0 Arsenal.
5-3 Lepzig encounting.
82' Change for both
Gabriel Jesus is on for Jack Grelaish who enjoyed a memorable Champions League debut with a goal and an assist.
Meanwhile, Leipzig introduce Josko Gvardiol for Nkunku who became the first man to score a hat-trick for Leipzig in the Champions League. It could well all be in vein however.
79' SENT OFF!
Angelino receives a second yellow card and he's off. Not the return to the Etihad he would have hoped for.
75' Cancelo scores a beauty
Fabulous goal from perhaps the man of the match Joao Cancelo who again nudges City two in front.
75' GOAL!!!!! 5-3
Pick that one out!
74' GOAL!!!! 4-3!
Another twist in the tale, it's a hat-trick for Nkunku as he rifles past Ederson from an acute angle.
73' Substitution for the visitors
On comes Brian Brobbey to replace Dani Olmo for Leipzig.
72' Double switch for City
Kevin De Bruyne and Ferran Torres are off for the returning Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling
66' BALL IN THE NET
Cancelo splits the defence with a brilliant ball. Good feet from Torres who cooly converts but the flag is up again! Marginal call!
61' Triple change for Leipzig
Amadou Haidara for Konrad Laimer
Dominik Szoboszlai for Emil Forsberg
Yussuf Poulsen for Andre Silva
59' Substitutions
Fernandinho replaces Rodri and Bernardo Silva makes way for Ilkay Gundogan.
59'
Yellow card for Angelino.
56' 4-2
A superb goal from the £100 million man who threatened when he cut in from the left in the first half. Grealish curls a beautiful effort into the top corner after swanning his way into the area.
Keeper no chance. City lead by two again.
56' GOAL! GREALISH
4-2 CITY!!!
54' Finely poised
City lead 3- 2. The next goal will be crucial.
52'
City break and KDB goes close but his effort flashes by the post.
52'
Olmo lifts the ball into Nkunku who scores another header for his second of the night.
GAME ON!
50' 3-2
GOAL!!!!
49' YELLOW CARD
Referee shows Tyler Adams a yellow for his late tackle on Jack Grealish.
45' City take centre
Back underway at the Etihad. Just to confirm, Klostermann received a yellow card for his handball that led to the City penalty.
Second-half coming shortly!
Stay with us as we near the beginning of the second period
HT
City have been threatening without creating too much themselves. 59% to 41% possession in favour of the hosts but Leipzig have controlled the ball well at times. Just the final ball lacking.
Half-time
It's a game that has ebbed and flowed. Despite four goals, it hasn't been that easy watched. Late offside calls and plenty of free-kicks awarded out the pitch haven't helped the rhythm of the game. Leipzig have created little but were growing into the game and got their reward before the City penalty.
HT: CITY 3-1 LEIPZIG
Mahrez's penalty into the top corner restores City's two-goal advantage.
45+1 GOAL 3-1!
EMPHATIC!
45+1 PENALTY TO CITY!
Handball from Klostermann is reviewed by the referee at the pitchside monitor and he points to the spot.
41' Back in the game
Forsberg stands the ball to the back post. Mukiele heads it back across the box and Nkunku diverts it into the net.
42' 2-1!
The visitors respond.
40'
Comes to nothing. Leipzig have faled to create anything clear cut barring Nkunku's earlier effort.
39'
Aneglino can't spot any of his Leipzig teammates with his cutback but does win a corner.
36' Grealish effort
Grealsih stings the palms of Gulasci as he drifts in from the left. Late flag again rendering the winger offside.
The late offside calls are becoming increasingly frustrating. Can hear the collective moans around the Etihad.
35' OFFSIDE
Andre Silva stabs the ball home but City's high line again catches Leipzig out and the striker is rightly deemed offside.
28' OWN GOAL 2-0
De Bruyne floats the ball in from the left, into the corridor of uncertainty and Leipzig defender Nordi Mukiele heads it into his own net.
27' Close
KDB curls in the free but Ake can't quite reach it. City a threat from set plays with Leipzig opting for a zonal-marking approach.
Still no clean sheet for RB this season.
25'
Fantastic first-time cross whipped in by De Bruyne. No one can reach it but Grealish is fouled outside the area as he retrieves the loose ball.
23' Nkunku chance
Neat exchange from Leizpig is almost rounded off by Nkunku but he can't direct his shot on target.
Still 1-0 City.
21' Chance
Great play from Grealish to KDB who slots the ball into Mahrez. The Algerian cuts inside but curls his effort wide.
17' 1-0
A poewrful header from Nathan Ake. Unmarked he wanted it more than anyone else and rose highest to meet Jack Grealish's corner.
16' GOAL!!!!!
Nathan AKE!
14' Olmo fires over
Angelino free-kick headed clear by Ake falls to Olmo but his shot sails over.
12' YELLOW card
Oleksandr Zinchencko receives a harsh yellow card!
11' Foul
Torres bundled over in the box but a late flag for offside sees City's claims dismissed.
8' Slow start
City not able to get into a rhythm so far.
4'
Nose bleed for Leipzig's Tyler Adams brings the game to a halt. Nothing of note so far apart from an early penalty shout for the visitors when Nkunku went down from Ake's challenge. Nothing given.
⚽️1' We're underway
The guests kick-off
On the whistle
Referee: Serdar Gözübüyük
Assistants: Joost van Zuilen and Johan Balder
VAR: Pol van Boekel
4th Official: Jeroen Manschot
A predominantly dutch team in the middle tonight.
Teams are in the tunnel!
Both sets of players are preparing to take the field as kick-off approaches.
Spots or Stripes
City will wear their home kit this evening, all sky blue, while Leizpig debut this season's third kit:
Kleiner Tipp:
— RB Leipzig (@RBLeipzig) September 15, 2021
Das wunderschöne Stück direkt im @redbullshop sichern ➡️ https://t.co/2J8vPLJdrU 👀 pic.twitter.com/bM3FwkeH1l
A mild night in Manchester
Going to the match... 💙
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 15, 2021
🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/OALVpCtK58
10 minutes to kick-off
Eding closer to the start of City's journey in this season's Champions League with the Blues hoping to go one better than last year's final heartache
Guardiola on changes
BT SPORT: I decide for these guys, of course Kyle could play and Raheem many players, Gabriel, and the guys who play these last three games, Ilkay for example, are so important for us but everyone has to start to be part of this group for this tough, tough and busy, busy schedule."
Pep confirms Stones and Laporte were injured while on international duty!
"John Stones is injured from the national team (England). The same like Laporte."
🗣 Pep speaks next
Quotes from Guardiola before the game coming soon...
🔥Getting Ready!
#WarmUp-Time ⏰ #MCIRBL #ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/tsmoWkcStM
— RB Leipzig (@RBLeipzig) September 15, 2021
City have arrived
The boys are in the building 🙌
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 15, 2021
🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/YtrrGWscci
It's 300 games in charge for Pep!
3️⃣0️⃣0️⃣
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 15, 2021
A milestone for the boss tonight! 🙌
👉 @PepTeam
🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/xSf9pfHQxV
Pep roulette 🎰
Four changes for City!
With Laporte out, Nathan Ake gets a start.
Cancelo switches over to the right while Zinchenko starts on the left with Kyle Walker dropping to the bench.
KDB comes in for Gundogan and Mahrez starts on the right in place of Jesus.
Three changes for Leipzig
Die Roten Bullen manager Jesse Marsch makes three changes to the side who were beaten 4-1 by Bayern Munich on Saturday.
In come Lukas Klostermann, Tyler Adams and Emil Forsberg to replace Mohamed Simakan, Kevin Kampl and Dominik Szoboszlai.
All three players move to the bench.
In Charge
©️ #MCFC players and staff voted on captaincy this week: Fernandinho (c), Ilkay Gundogan now vice-captain, Ruben Dias third captain and De Bruyne fourth captain @mcgrathmike
Leipzig XI
Unsere START-XI zum Auftakt in der @ChampionsLeague gegen @ManCity!#MCIRBL #YouCanDoAnything pic.twitter.com/SaO1cwVxx0
— RB Leipzig (@RBLeipzig) September 15, 2021
Blues XI
Ruben Dias captains the City side.
Kevin De Bruyne starts and Jack Grealish makes his UCL debut but no Aymeric Laporte or John Stones in the City squad tonight.
City line-up is in:
Your #UCL starting XI for tonight! 💪
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 15, 2021
XI | Ederson, Cancelo, Dias (C), Ake, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Grealish, Torres, Mahrez.
SUB | Carson, Slicker, Walker, Sterling, Gundogan, Jesus, Fernandinho, Foden, Palmer, Lavia.
🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/EWdOPGnE1h
DE BRUYNE SET TO START!
!!!!!!!!!
10 MINUTES TO TEAM NEWS
Follow our live feed for team news as it arrives!
Leipzig players out for a stroll in the Manchester sun earlier today
A nice matchday walk for our boys in Manchester 🚶♂️
— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) September 15, 2021
🔴⚪ #WeAreLeipzig #MCIRBL pic.twitter.com/oVKUzGMESu
City U19s take UEFA Youth League opener!
Get in!! ⭐️ https://t.co/E1m9bvqIx9
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 15, 2021
What we can expect this evening
On a calm September night...
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 15, 2021
🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/fNqzV0oN8S
Team News
The line-ups for tonight's game will be confirmed shortly. Stay tuned for updates.
Marsch wary of tough group
RB Leipzig manager Jesse Marsch has acknowledged that this will be his side's toughest game in the Champions League group stage and had this to say when speaking with Kicker:
"It should never be easy in the Champions League. PSG and Man City are certainly among the best teams in the world at the moment. That means the task will be very difficult.
"I have to say the toughest game is the first one in Manchester. I had hoped that we would face them later on because we are still in the middle of a process here."
Final defeat to spur City on says Pep
Speaking at yesterday's pre-match press conference Guardiola said his side can use their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in last season's final to their advantage:
"The players have feelings and soul and, you know, it hurts when you cannot achieve. For them it's a new challenge to try. These guys won three Premier League titles in the last four years and every year we have the feeling that we can do better."
Grealish in line for debut
Jack Grealish could make his debut in the UEFA Champions League tonight.
Here is preparing for the game via Twitter:
How to watch
This game can be seen live on BT Sport 3 !
If you want to watch it on the internet, VAVEL UK is your best option!
RB Leipzig: Predicted XI
Gulasci; Klostermann, Orban, Simakan, Gvardiol; Adams, Haidara, Szoboszlai, Forsberg, Nkunku; A.Silva.
Manchester City: Predicted XI
Ederson; Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo; Rodri, Gundogan, Silva; Mahrez, Torres, Sterling.
Leipzig team news
Marcelo Saracchi (knee) is out while Marcel Halstenberg is also a doubt with an ankle issue.
Manchester City team news
Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden could return to the City starting-XI after being unused substitutes in Saturday's 1-0 win over Leicester City.
Back-up goalkeeper Zack Steffen is unavailable after testing positive for COVID-19.
Kick-off
We are less than five hours away from the first-ever meeting between Manchester City and RB Leipzig.
UK and Ireland : 8pm
Germany : 9pm
Spain: 9pm
France: 9pm
Russia and Eastern Europe: 10pm
USA : 3e/2c
India: 12:30am
Australia: 5am
Where do they stand?
City have only lost one home group game in this competition since the 2015/16 season and are currently 5th in the Premier League having won each of their last three games.
Leipzig meanwhile, have staretd slowly and find themselves 12th in the Bundesliga. A 4-1 loss to Bayern Munich on Saturday was their third defeat in four matches.
New look Leipzig return to Manchester
Meanwhile, for RB Leipzig it is a second trip to Manchester in two years after facing Manchester United in last season's UCL group stage.
The German side finished runners up in their group last year - edging past Ole's side with a stunning 3-2 victory in GW6 - there has been plenty of change in Leipzig since then, and they know they'll need to be at their best to get a result here tonight.
Citizens looking to get off to a fast start
Tonight marks Manchester City's first UCL outing since defeat to Chelsea in last seasons final.
The Citizens will be looking to get off to a fast start in what looks to be one of the most difficult groups of this seasons campaign.
With a daunting trip to Paris in GW2, Pep will be eager to get three points on the board early.
Welcome to VAVEL.com's LIVE coverage of the 2021/22 Champions League Group A opener between Manchester City and RB Leipzig!My name is Niall Keenan and I'll be your host for this game. We will provide you with pre-game analysis, team updates, and news as it happens live here on VAVEL.
This tie will be played at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England with kick-off scheduled for 20:00 BST