Manchester City failed to win the first leg of the 1/8th finals in the Champions League at RB Leipzig. Pep Guardiola’s team was stuck at 1-1 without the sick Kevin De Bruyne. However, City had everything under control during the first half, but the game turned completely after the break.
The first half was one of total control and domination by Pep Guardiola’s men, without really impressing or creating one chance after another. They simply kept the Germans – who really did nothing throughout the first half – excellently under control after they mercilessly punished a mistake in defense just before the half hour mark.
Riyad Mahrez was the finisher on duty. His shot didn’t even have to be completely placed to beat goalkeeper Janis Blaswich. Mahrez thus became only the fifth African player to score twenty goals in the Champions League after Mohamed Salah (44), Didier Drogba (44), Samuel Eto’o (30) and Sadio Mané (27). A nice list to be among.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTPyE4CVElI
Haaland invisible
The absence of Kevin De Bruyne was clearly noticeable. His buddy Erling Haaland – whose goal machine has been running a bit slower lately – only hit the ball seven (!) times during the entire first half. In the end he ended up with 21 balls, by far the fewest of all players who spent 90 minutes on the field. His goal machine has been running a bit slower lately, so he has now no longer scored more goals than he has played games for The Citizens. He has now made 32 in 32 games. Still an insane average, but in England there is already some criticism.
Totally unexpectedly, the game image changed completely in the second half. The Germans suddenly created one chance after another and equalized through Josko Gvardiol – the Croatian defender we mainly got to know during the World Cup – so that they can go to the second leg with confidence. At City they could thank their goalkeeper Ederson, because the Brazilian prevented worse.
