RB Leipzig lost 3-1 at home to Manchester City on UEFA Champions League Matchday 2. - © Imago
RB Leipzig lost 3-1 at home to Manchester City on UEFA Champions League Matchday 2. - © Imago
RB Leipzig fall to narrow defeat against UEFA Champions League holders Manchester City
Loïs Openda's fifth RB Leipzig goal wasn't enough to prevent defeat to UEFA Champions League holders Manchester City in Group G.
Leipzig 1-3 Man City
Goals: 0-1 Foden 25' (assist: Lewis), 1-1 Openda 48' (assist: Poulsen), 1-2 Álvarez 84' (assist: Doku), 1-3 Doku 90'+2 (assist: Álvarez)
Leipzig won away to Young Boys in their Group G opener, but were second best in a one-sided first half at the Red Bull Arena. City monopolised possession, with Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden going close in the opening stages. Foden broke the deadlock in the 25th minute, before Erling Haaland threatened a second with a shot across goal. The former Borussia Dortmund striker then tested Janis Blaswich, with Leipzig grateful to only be a goal down at the break.
Marco Rose chose to stick rather than twist at the break, though, and was duly rewarded. Yussuf Poulsen fed Openda, who capped a trademark Leipzig counter with a fine finish into the bottom corner. Blaswich got fingertips to a Foden free-kick as the contest opened up, with Leipzig continuing to worry the City defence on the counter. Ederson beat substitute Benjamin Šeško to a Timo Werner cross on one such occasion, before City landed a decisive one-two through substitutes Julián Álvarez's and Jérémy Doku.
Match stats
- Openda is Leipzig's joint-top scorer this season, with five goals in all competitions.
- Rose's team are second in Group G, ahead of their Matchday 3 meeting with Red Star Belgrade.
- Die Roten Bullen have lost only two of their last eight Champions League matches - both to City (W5, D1).
- Haaland scored 62 goals in 67 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund.
- Joško Gvardiol is a former Leipzig player, while Manuel Akanji played for Dortmund.
- Pep Guardiola won three straight Bundesliga titles as Bayern Munich head coach.
Find out more about 60 years of the Bundesliga here!
Teams
Leipzig: Blaswich - Klostermann, Simakan, Castello, Raum - Xavi, Seiwald (Haidara 85'), Schlager, Forsberg (Šeško 70') - Openda (Werner 70'), Poulsen (Baumgartner 75')
Unused subs: Gulacsi, Lenz, Carvalho, Kampl
Out: Bitshiabu (knee), Henrichs (muscular), Olmo (knee), Orban (knee)
Coach: Marco Rose
Man City: Ederson - Walker (c), Akanji (Doku 72'), Dias, Gvardiol - Rodri, Lewis - Foden (Álvarez 79'), Bernardo Silva (Matheus Nunes 87'), Grealish (Aké 72') - Haaland
Unused subs: Ortega, Carson, Phillips, Stones, Kovacic, Sergio Gomez, Bobb
Out: De Bruyne (hamstring), Steffen (knee)
Coach: Pep Guardiola
As it happened!
1 - 3
(0 - 1)
Leipzig
FINAL
Man City
Champions League
Group G, Matchday 2 Group G, Matchday 2 Red Bull Arena
Group G, Matchday 2 Group G, Matchday 2 Red Bull Arena
90'
+ 2
Full time! Leipzig 1-3 City
No shame in losing to the holders. Leipzig will still feel confident of getting out of this group. Red Star Belgrade are up next for Rose's men in Group G.
Full-time
89'
Added time
Three minutes for Leipzig to find an equaliser...
87'
Substitution
86'
Baumgartner!
Audacious from the Leipzig sub, who spots Ederson off his line before driving over from distance.
84'
City back in front!
Alvarez with a stunning strike. Blaswich is helpless, City lead again.
79'
Leipzig counter
Leipzig are going for it as Baumgartner sends Werner on his way. He fizzes in a cross, but Ederson beats Sesko to it.
79'
Substitution
78'
Yellow card
75'
Substitution
74'
Turbo Timo
Werner with the chance to stretch the City defence, but he can't bring Simakan's pass under his spell. The counter was on...
73'
Yellow card
72'
Substitution
72'
Substitution
71'
Haaland off cue
Haaland hoofs over from outside the box. It's been a frustrating night for a player who hit 62 goals in 67 Bundesliga games for BVB.
70'
Double change
The pace of Werner - smart from Rose - and the finishing ability of Šeško. Forsberg and Openda make way for the closing 20 minutes...
70'
Substitution
70'
Substitution
66'
Yellow card
64'
Blaswich to the rescue!
The Leipzig stopper with a reminder of how difficult it will be for the returning Gulacsi to reclaim the No.1 spot as he dives to get fingertips to a superb free-kick from Foden. Moments later, he's equal to a tame Haaland strike.
61'
Elsewhere
Red Star Belgrade and Young Boys are one apiece in the group's other game. Over in Group F, Dortmund are currently goalless against AC Milan.
57'
Chance!
It's not happening for Haaland yet as he stretches to meet a Foden cross, but can't make the desired connection.
53'
Warning shot
City come straight back at Leipzig as Grealish feeds Haaland for a shot he can only fire into the side netting.
48'
Textbook Leipzig
What a start to the second half. Leipzig break at speed with Poulsen collecting possession on halfway. The great Dane feeds Openda, who squeezes a finish finish into the far corner from inside the City area. That's what Leipzig can do to teams!
46'
No changes
Rose is sticking to his game plan. Will we see young Sesko as the half wears on? City are also unchanged.
Kick-off!
45'
+ 1
Half-time! Leipzig 0-1 City
Work to do for Leipzig, but they have the quality to turn this around.
Half-time
44'
Blaswich does his job
Haaland shoots through a crowded area, with Blaswich seeing it late and doing well to punch clear.
41'
Rare glimpse
Respite for Leipzig, who win a corner. Raum sends it in, but City clear. They have the quality in those situations to punish City...
36'
Second best
It's not often we've said that about Leipzig this season, but they haven't got going. City are averaging 80 percent possession.
31'
Haaland!
He's been quiet until now, but Haaland almost adds a second with a shot across goal from a tight angle. He scored against Leipzig on his final appearance for Dortmund.
29'
Form side
Leipzig have only lost once this season, whilst picking up seven wins. Can they find a way back?
25'
Leipzig trail!
You have to say it's been coming. Silva and Lewis undo the Leipzig defence, before Foden hits a bouncing ball into the ground and past Blaswich.
20'
Foden again!
The pint-sized Englishman is first to a loose ball, but flashes his shot wide.
17'
Denied!
Simakan does really well to prevent Silva from testing Blaswich, following a mazy run. It's all City.
13'
Chance!
Foden's making a real nuisance of himself in the early stages. He flashes a cross into the box, but Silva can't get there. Let-off for Rose's men. They need to start getting touch-tight.
8'
Withstanding the pressure
Twice now City players have got shots off, but each time Leipzig have got men in the way. Can the hosts weather this storm?
3'
Game plans
City are trying to dictate the play, with Leipzig holding their shape and waiting to pounce on the counter.
Kick-off!
In the tunnel
The atmosphere's building as the teams prepare to enter the field. Can Leipzig move clear at the top of the group?
Fortress Red Bull Arena
City have never won on Leipzig soil. They drew here in last season's round of 16, and last in the 2021/22 groups.
More on those teams
With Henrichs out, Klostermann starts at right-back. The other Leipzig change from Saturday's draw with Bayern sees Seiwald replace Kampl in midfield. As expected, ex-Leipzig defender Gvardiol starts for City. Former BVB duo Akanji and Haaland are also in the starting line-up for the visitors.
Warm welcome in store for Gvardiol
© IMAGO/Christian Schroedter/IMAGO/Christian Schroedter
Rose looks beyond past
© IMAGO/motivio
Leipzig team news
Leipzig will have to make do with several key players here. Dani Olmo and Willi Orban are the main absentees, while Kevin Kampl suffer a hip injury in the draw with Bayern and will also miss out. The good news, though, is that Timo Werner could once again be available after struggling with a back issue. He will be competing for a starting spot with Loïs Openda, Yussuf Poulsen and Benjamin Šeško, who is his side's joint-top goalscorer this term with five strikes and found the back of the net twice in the Young Boys win.
Familiar faces
© IMAGO/motivio
City wobble after strong start
City came into this campaign on the back of an historic treble as they added the F.A Cup to their league and continental successes, and they hit the ground this time around too. Pep Guardiola's men kicked off with six straight Premier League victories, while they also beat Red Star Belgrade 3-1 in their first Champions League encounter of the season. However, they have shown a chink in their armour recently with back-to-back defeats - first, a 1-0 loss to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup, followed by a 2-1 loss against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend.
Head-to-head
These two teams have met four times previously, with those match-ups producing a huge 21 goals. City have flexed their muscles with 6-3 and 7-0 triumphs, but Leipzig are unbeaten in both home clashed with the Citizens and will be looking to extend that run here.
1:54
Watch: All of Xavi's goals and assists in the Bundesliga
Xavi on song
One of the stars of this campaign for the Saxony-based outfit has been on-loan Dutchman Xavi Simons. With three goals and four assists - the latter of which is a joint-high in the Bundesliga - the 20-year-old has settled in well following his temporary switch from Paris Saint-Germain, and he will be eager to perform at the highest level here.
Strong start to the season
Leipzig defeated Young Boys in their opening match in this season's Champions League, just one result during an impressive beginning to this term. They started off with a 3-0 victory over Bayern in the Supercup and, although they lost 3-2 to Bayer Leverkusen on the opening day of the Bundesliga campaign, fours wins and a draw since have put them well in the title race. The 3-2 defeat of Preußen Münster in the DFB Cup first round is another bonus.
2:03
Watch: Leipzig hold Bayern
Leipzig looking to build on UCL run
Besides the 7-0 defeat to this match's opponents last year in their Round of 16 second leg, Leipzig have enjoyed life in Europe's premier club competition. That was their only loss in their previous seven matches, which included five wins and a draw. Marco Rose's men have reached the knockout stages in three of their previous four participations, and a good result will put them well on their way to doing so again.
12:00
Watch: All about Leipzig
Welcome along
RB Leipzig look to make it back-to-back UEFA Champions League victories as they host English Premier League and European champions Manchester City. You can follow all of the build-up and action as it unfolds right here!
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