Can Leipzig annoy Manchester City?

RB Leipzig has not given up hope of a sensation in the round of 16 of the Champions League. Although the Saxons have to give up midfielder Xaver Schlager because of a syndesmosis ligament injury, they believe they can give English champions Manchester City a Haxl after the 1-1 draw in their home game today (9 p.m., Sky, DAZN).

However, the memory of the most recent appearance at the Etihad Stadium is not the best: In the group phase in 2021, the “Red Bulls” lost 3: 6 away. And that despite the fact that star striker Christopher Nkunku has tied up a (not flawless) hat trick. The French team striker is absent this time due to injury.

Konrad Laimer and his colleagues definitely have to be smarter than they were a year and a half ago – that’s especially true on the defensive end. “It will be difficult enough, but the sense of achievement in the championship is good for us,” said Leipzig coach Marco Rose after the recent 3-0 win over Mönchengladbach. “We should try to make the most of the day, the best of the game.”

Manchester City haven’t been brilliant lately either. Pep Guardiola’s team struggled to make it 1-0 at Crystal Palace, the match winner was once again Erling Braut Haaland, who converted a penalty in the 78th minute. It was the Norwegian’s 33rd goal in his 34th competitive game of the season. In the “premier class” the “Skyblues” have not lost a single one of their recent 23 home games.

Inter Milan travel to Porto on a 1-0 lead, where the Italian champions have progressed to the quarter-finals for the first time since 2011. But recently the “Nerazzurri” presented themselves anything but in top form. In Bologna (0:1) and La Spezia (1:2) there were bitter defeats.