Champions League: Sky Blues Search for the Holy Grail

Manchester City vs RB Leipzig

It is no secret in Premier League circles that Manchester City’s priority is the Champions League, the big competition the Sky Blues have failed to land during a decade of domestic dominance.

Pep Guardiola’s team almost won it in 2021 as they entered a final against Chelsea as hot favourites, but they simply didn’t turn up. And now they are three steps away from another final as they welcome Red Bull Leipzig to the Etihad Stadium for a Round of 16 second leg clash with the tie balanced at 1-1.       

Champions League: Manchester City vs Red Bull Leipzig brings together two of Europe’s heavyweights, in terms of finance as well as football. And the tie is finely balanced as Josko Gvardiol levelled in Leipzig after Riyad Mahrez had given the Sky Blues a first half lead. Marco Rose’s Leipzig arrive in Manchester on the back of a 3-0 home win against Borussia Monchengladbach, while Guardiola’s side made it four wins on the bounce with a hard earned 1-0 victory away to Crystal Palace.    

Manchester City are the SBOTOP favourites to win the competition at a price of 2.80, with FC Bayern the biggest challenger at 3.50 and 2022 Champions Real Madrid in third at odds of 7.00.

But first, in their quest for European glory, the Sky Blues must see off Die Roten Bullen.

Talking Points

How can Red Bull stop Haaland?

City have goal threats all through their squad from centre back Nathan Ake to centre forward Erling Braut Haaland, who has scored five in five games in the Champions League and is well on the way to winning the Golden Boot in his first season in England.

Haaland is the hottest property in world football right now and, having spectacularly failed to reach the last eight of the Champions League, for the fifth time in seven seasons, Paris Saint-Germain are reported to be ready to splash out an eye watering £175m for the Norwegian scoring machine. But while the French media stokes up that story, Guardiola is keen to stress how cool, and settled, his star striker is as he breaks record after record.      

City’s visit to Selhurst Park was never going to be easy and Haaland missed a golden opportunity to break the deadlock. But when a penalty opportunity came, with time running out, he slotted it calmly home to give the champions a crucial three points. Gvardiol and Willi Orban are the centre backs who will stand up against Haaland and Julian Alvarez but that will be too hard a task… unless their team-mates can limit the supply. Guardiola rested Kevin De Bruyne at Selhurst Park, using the Belgian as a late substitute and Red Bull’s success relies on limiting his influence, as well as keeping a rejuvenated Phil Foden quiet.

Now that’s easier to write than it is to achieve, and left wingback David Raum will become a national hero if he can limit the supply from the right flank, while Konrad Laimer has a big role to play in the battle for midfield.  

Nkunku in a race to be fit

In other Manchester City vs Red Bull Leipzig news there is serious doubt over the fitness of Red Bull star Christopher Nkunku in time for the clash on Tuesday. The France forward has struggled with injury and Red Bull fans are desperate to see him finish the season with a bang before he heads of to Chelsea in the summer.   

Nkunku missed out on the World Cup when he picked up a nasty knee injury while warming up with France and he made his comeback when he climbed off the bench during Red Bull’s 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. But in the following game, a defeat to Borussia Dortmund, he limped off with s thing strain and missed out against Die Fohlen.   

The 25 year old is Red Bull’s top scorer in the league with 12 goals, and he has three in the Champions League, top scoring alongside Andre Silva. Nkunku would be a big miss for Red Bull, and the scoring responsibility may fall on the shoulders of Timo Werner and Emil Forsberg, though Gvardiol is a threat from set pieces.

History

Manchester City have met Red Bull Leipzig three times and each team has won one, before the first leg stalemate. City came out on top in 2021 with a 7-5 aggregate win in the Champions League after beating Die Roten Bullen 6-3 at the Etihad.

Red Bull have had a set of mixed results in recent weeks with three wins, one draw and two defeats, while Manchester City are unbeaten in eight games and unbeaten in nine at the Etihad and the Manchester City vs Red Bull Leipzig betting odds are squarely behind the Sky Blues to win this tie; but where is the best value?

Betting Tip

At 1.32 to win the hosts are red hot favourites while the draw is at 4.74 and Red Bull are at 6.37. Guardiola’s men will be primed to go at their visitors from the off and I think they will breach Red Bull’s defence more than once.

For an alterative bet with longer odds, City to win 3-1 is priced at 8.44.

 

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