Leipzig-Manchester City 1-1: goals from Mahrez, Gvardiol

“We’re on the road to Istanbul” write the Leipzig fans on the banner displayed in the corner, but even just to advance to the quarterfinals will require a feat at the Etihad Stadium. The first act ends without winners, a fair result for what the two teams have expressed and which clearly benefits Manchester City, strong in the second leg to play at home. The first half was a long-term sterile monologue from Pep Guardiola’s team, Mahrez’s advantage was propitiated by the opponents’ lightness in the construction phase. The Germans shake up in the second half, creating the clearest chances even if the equalizer comes from a corner kick where Ederson sensationally punches the exit and Gvardiol thanks. Practically not received Haaland, who due to his usual rhythms makes the news when he doesn’t score.

first half

—

Obligatory choices for Guardiola in defense, considering the absences of Stones and Laporte. The other major defection among the Citizens is De Bruyne, so there are Mahrez and Grealish to support Haaland with Gundogan more free to advance on the trocar. No surprises among the Germans, who still give up Nkunku (on the bench), as well as the injured Gulacsi and Olmo. Rose doesn’t give up on a very offensive setup, with Szoboszlai, Forsberg and Werner behind Andre Silva. However, despite the talent of the forward department, Leipzig are hardly seen throughout the first half. It was easy for City to elude the opposing pressure, with Bernardo Silva ducking in the build-up phase, while Gundogan and Walker advanced to keep the two very compact lines of the opponents apprehensive. The proverbial study phases last almost half an hour, in which very little is reported beyond a central header by Ruben Dias on the developments of a corner kick. Without his favorite squire, however, Haaland is out of the game. Thus, once it has been ascertained that through possession – an overwhelming 74% in the first fraction – there are no outlets, the English decide to turn up the pressure, trying to propitiate a mistake. Hopes are well placed: in the 27th minute Schlager measures a horizontal touch badly, Grealish looks for the cut by Mahrez favored by the veil with a block by Gundogan; the former Leicester thus finds himself face to face with Blaswich and the cold with a precise left to cross for the lead. The breaking of the balance does not light up the game, City tries with Grealish from outside the area while just before the break comes the first shot on goal from Leipzig, but Werner finds an attentive Ederson from the edge of the area.

the recovery

—

Rose can’t be satisfied, so he immediately makes a substitution upon returning from the locker room, sending in Henrichs in place of Klostermann, with license to attack without looking too much behind. However, the first chance of the second half belongs to Mahrez: Aké’s pressing favors Gundogan, who earns the goal and serves the Algerian back, whose shot Schlager opposes in a decisive way a few steps from the goal line (50 ‘) . In any case it is a different Leipzig, who understood where he can hurt, taking advantage of the gaps left by the English on the wingers. It was substitute Henrichs who frightened City, first with a header and then with a diagonal shot inside the area, in both cases without targeting the goal. Werner also finds space on the left and it’s only thanks to Ederson’s timely exit that Forsberg doesn’t support the net. However, the goalkeeper was even better in the 63rd minute, when Andre Silva got rid of Aké well in the box but the touch under him didn’t lift enough. Rose also inserts Nkunku for Forsberg, the Germans accept individual duels and a little field opens up for Haaland, who enters the match with a weak and imprecise diagonal. The equal is in the air, Szoboszlai engages Ederson from outside the area and in the following corner Gvardiol stands out over Dias taking advantage of the Brazilian’s empty exit: in the 70th minute it’s 1-1. The answer is immediate, Gundogan opens the pot and Blaswich surpasses himself, also avoiding Haaland’s tap-in with a clean and effective save. In the final minutes, Leipzig withdraws, almost accepting the result, and Manchester City fails to sink: all the speeches are thus postponed to 14 March.