MY ACCOUNT
– RB Leipzig have lost only one of their last 12 home matches
– Manchester City have won just one of their last five away games
– Recommended bet: RB Leipzig or draw double chance
Champions League glory remains elusive for Manchester City and they continue their latest push for European gold against RB Leipzig on Wednesday.
It is no secret that Champions League glory is the priority for manager Pep Guardiola but succes will be hard-earned after they were handed one of the tougher Round of 16 draws against an improving Leipzig side.
The German outfit suffered a poor start to 2022-23 under Domenico Tedesco but have rallied in impressive style since Marco Rose replaced him in the dugout and could prove a formidable opponent for their Premier League visitors.
Team news
RB Leipzig have been boosted by the return from injury of star striker Christopher Nkunku, though he may have to settle for a place on the bench after playing only 20 minutes last weekend following three months out.
Attacking midfielder Dani Olmo and centre-back Abdou Diallo are not expected back until next month with respective hamstring and knee problems, while first-choice goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi is out for the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Manchester City have only John Stones unavailable, with the centre-back expected to be another couple of weeks from returning after a hamstring injury.
The stats
Marco Rose’s first away game as RB Leipzig’s manager was a 2-0 defeat at Real Madrid, which left the Germans pointless after two games in Champions League Group F.
However, they went on to win their last four matches – including a 3-2 home victory over Real – to finish second in the section.
That Bernabeu defeat was one of only three in Rose’s 23-match tenure. In that time, he has won 16 matches – including against Real in the return leg and claiming home victories against second-placed Dortmund and fourth-placed Freiburg in the Bundesliga – and claimed four draws, including January’s 1-1 against Bayern Munich.
While Manchester City remain an intimidating force on home soil, their away form is becoming a concern.
Guardiola’s men have won only six of 14 away games this term, losing at Tottenham, Manchester United, Liverpool and Southampton, while also drawing four road trips, including at Dortmund and Copenhagen during the Champions League group stage.
Prediction
Manchester City have endured a strange campaign, with the addition of striker Erling Haaland proving both a blessing and a curse.
It is hard to criticise a player who has plundered 32 goals in 31 appearances in all competitions but Haaland’s more traditional number nine attributes are not gelling with Guardiola’s patient attacking approach, resulting in often disjointed performances.
Their struggles away from home are of particular concern against an RB Leipzig side who are full of confidence and have failed to win only two of 12 home outings since Marco Rose took the reins in September.
The two games in question are January’s 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich and a recent 2-1 defeat to third-placed Union Berlin, and those minor setbacks highlight a slight weakness in Rose’s Leipzig.
His defence often fails to shut out the top teams – conceding in each of their last five outings at the Red Bull Arena – to make both teams to score an interesting option for Bet Builder selections.
However, opposing a poor-travelling Manchester City side at value prices looks the best route to take given both the hosts’ generally impressive home form and the Citizens’ struggles on the road.
Back RB Leipzig or the draw in the double chance market at 21/20, available with LiveScore Bet.
