RB Leipzig 1-1 Man City: Citizens frustrated in Germany

Riyad Mahrez's first half strike was cancelled out by a late header from Josko Gvardiol, leaving the sides all square as they head back to Manchester. 

RB Leipzig 1-1 Man City: Citizens frustrated in Germany
LEIPZIG, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 22: Josko Gvardiol of RB Leipzig scores the team's first goal past Ederson of Manchester City during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 leg one match between RB Leipzig and Manchester City at Red Bull Arena on February 22, 2023 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
billy-dobson
By Billy Dobson

A second half header from Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol meant RB Leipzig held Premier League champions Manchester City to a 1-1 draw in Germany

City went ahead after 27 minutes when Riyad Mahrez found himself free inside the Leipzig penalty area, slotting home into the bottom corner.

After City's dominant first half, the hosts looked a different side after the break, playing with a greater intensity and putting Pep Guardiola's side under severe pressure. 

Gvardiol levelled the score with 20 minutes to go, capitalising on a quickly taken corner by full-back Marcel Halstenberg

With the away goals rule no longer in play, it means that The Citizens will have to beat Leipzig on the night, or on penalties, at The Etihad in order to progress to the last eight.  

  • Story of the Game

RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose made two changes to the side that won 3-0 at Wolfsburg on Saturday.

Halstenberg and midfielder Konrad Laimer returned to the side, replacing David Raum and Amadou Haidara respectively. 

Rose did stick with his trusted 4-2-3-1 formation, allowing Andre Silva to lead the line once again.

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Chris Wood's late equaliser for Nottingham Forest saw City drop two points on Saturday. Boss Guardiola responded with three changes to his side.

Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake returned, allowing City to play their more familiar back four, while Mahrez was selected ahead of Phil Foden on the right wing. 

Playmaker Kevin De Bruyne did not travel to Germany with the squad.

The Citizens looked to control the game from the outset. Although they failing to create clear cut opportunities for dangerman Erling Haaland to pounce on, they did have 77% of possession in the opening 15 minutes of play.

For all of City's dominance on the ball, their first chance came from a set piece. Ruben Dias headed Mahrez's in-swinging corner comfortably into the arms of goalkeeper Janis Blaswich.

Mahrez looked to be causing the Leipzig defence serious issues. The Algerian winger intercepted a lacklustre clearance from Gvardiol before laying the ball off to Rodri, with the holding midfielder firing over from 18-yards.

Having lived dangerously for half an hour, Leipzig's low block was eventually broken down. 

Jack Grealish capitalised on a loose pass from Laimer, slipping the ball between the legs of Gvardiol and into the path of Mahrez. The winger confidently placed the ball in the bottom right corner, scoring his third Champions League goal of the season. 

It took the hosts over 40 minutes to find any sort of joy in the offensive half. Halstenberg found himself in space on the left wing before his cross evaded every white shirt making a forwards run, somewhat summing up their half. 

City goalkeeper Ederson would be called into action by a tame effort from Timo Werner, with the sides going in for half time shortly after. 

Whatever Rose said in his half time team talk clearly had an effect on his players, with Leipzig looking a completely different side in the second half. 

Substitute Benjamin Hendrichs had the host's best chances at 1-0, heading over from a Halstenberg cross before shooting wide of the goal when played in by Dominic Szoboszlai.

Portuguese striker Silva got in on the act, weaving in and out to beat Akanji before striking his effort at the chest of Ederson.

City looked to ease the pressure with a swift counter-attack. Grealish linked up nicely with Ilkay Gundogan to set Haaland in behind, but the Norwegian striker dragged a poor effort across the face of goal.

The effort was the highlight of the 22-year-old's night, having cut a lonely figure in the final third for the most part.

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Moments later, Szoboszlai stung the palms of Ederson with a vicious strike from 25-yards out, forcing the stopper in a magnificent top corner save. 

Despite his heroics, the Brazilian goalkeeper was beaten from the resulting corner. City had failed to set up when Leipzig had taken the corner quickly, allowing Halstenberg to float a delivery onto the head of Gvardiol. 

The Croatian centre half headed home to score his ninth career goal, and his second in the Champions League this season. 

The host's had momentum, looking to put City to the sword, although struggled to break down a compact defensive block in the dying stages. 

The final chance of the game came from City skipper Gundogan, forcing Blaswich into a smart stop from the edge of the penalty area. 

The sides will meet again on March 14th at The Etihad Stadium. Leipzig fell to a 6-3 defeat in September 2021 the last time they visited Manchester.

  • Player of the Match

Josko Gvardiol

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A tough decision as the award could have gone to a number of players on the pitch. 

The 21-year-old did a superb job of keeping Haaland quiet throughout the game, as well as nodding home to level the tie heading into the second leg.

Another impressive performance from the young defender.