Our prediction for this Champions League match:
Man City
Match Time & Date:
14/03/2023
21:00
Prediction: 3-1
Leipzig
Man City will look to seal their spot in the Champions League quarter-finals when they take on Leipzig on Tuesday. The Citizens failed to win the first leg (1-1), but the bookies still see them as hot favourites to win this time. A man to watch in the home team will be Erling Haaland, who helped Man City beat Crystal Palace at the weekend, while both Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne return to the starting XI. Pep Guardiola should have a full squad to choose from for the second leg.
The Red Bulls, on the other hand, aim to build on a 3-0 win over Borussia M’gladbach, but seeing that Man City have turned their Etihad Stadium into a real fortress, we are tempted to put our money on the Premier League outfit. The likes of Diallo, Gulacsi, Nkunku, and Schlager miss out with injuries, speaking of the visiting side.
Highlighted Player (Ilkay Gundogan):
Ilkay Gundogan is a German footballer of Turkish origin who made a name for himself playing for Borussia Dortmund. The skilful midfielder began his professional career at VFL Bochum, but it was at Nurnberg that he was given the opportunity to prove his undoubted potential. He needed just two years to make Germany’s top clubs stand up and take notice and the Millionaires secured his signature for mere €4 million.
That would prove to be a great investment as Gundogan quickly slotted straight into the starting line-up and became a playmaker in the side led by Jurgen Klopp and later Thomas Tuchel. The midfield maestro kept being linked with clubs like Manchester United, Barcelona and Arsenal, but he resisted temptation to leave Borussia Dortmund, winning one Bundesliga trophy with the club and making it to the Champions League final.
Gundogan unfortunately missed the 2014 World Cup finals through injury, but there is still time for the BVB star to make things right and lift a major international trophy with Germany.
Highlighted Team (Leipzig):
Leipzig are a professional football club founded in 2009. Die Bullen (The Bulls) were unbeaten in the 2012/2013 Regionalliga Nordost and, as a result, they secured promotion to the 3. Liga. After finishing the 2013/2014 as 3rd. Liga campaign in second place in the standings, Leipzig were promoted to the 2. Bundesliga and they competed in the German second tier for two seasons.
Despite suffering a loss to Karlsruher on the last day of the 2015/2016 round in the 2. Bundesliga campaign, die Bullen secured promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time ever. Leipzig play their home games at Red Bull Arena (42,959) and it has to be noted that the stadium was opened in 1954.
Die Bullen wear white shirts and red shorts while their away kit is blue and yellow. Ralph Hasenhuttl was appointed as the team’s manager at the end of the 2015/2016 season and you should know that the likes of Ralf Rangnick, Achim Beierlorzer, Alexander Zorniger, Peter Pacult, Tomas Oral and Tino Vogel were in charge of the team in the past as well.
