MAN CITY 3, RB LEIPZIG 2
Manchester City displayed resilience and a never-say-die attitude to preserve their 12-month unbeaten home record.
City recovered from a two-goal half-time deficit to beat German side RB Leipzig 3-2 through substitute Julian Alvarez’ late winner.
There were also goals for Erland Haaland and Phil Foden as City clinched top spot in Group G and become group winners for a seventh successive year.
City also stretched their unbeaten home run to 26 games in all competitions. They last loss at home in the Champions League was against Lyon in 2018.
They have also not lost in their last 18 Champions League games, a run stretching back to their semi-final loss against Real Madrid in 2022.
Haaland continues to break record as this was his 40th Champions League goal in only 35 appearances, the youngest-ever player to reach the landmark.
It was the proverbial game of two halves, as acknowledged by Foden who said: “The first half was the worst I’ve seen us. Courage and motivation courage changed it around. This team has great mentality and it’s so nice to see.
“We just needed that [first] goal to get going. Even the fans were a lot louder after the goal. Once the first went in the motivation was there.
“We’ve got a great record at the Etihad, and it only takes one goal to change things.”
City manager Pep Guardiola added: “Leipzig is always a team that qualifies for the last 16 the last five or six years. We conceded too much defensively. You have to win the actions, and we didn’t do it.
Embed from Getty Images“We had to be relaxed as possible and we reacted really well. We are first in the group, and I am very satisfied for the reaction at the end. The team runs and fights and has spirit.
“We changed with our press. Rico [Lewis] was again exceptional and Phil [Foden] in the final third had decisive movements. I think Jeremy [Doku] changed our rhythm.”
Leipzig manager Marco Rose praised his side, saying: “I want to compliment my team on a brave performance,
“It was a very positive experience and I take a lot of positives from it.
“The goal which made it 2-1 was the turning point of the match. If we had kept City without scoring for longer, it could have been different.”
Haaland and Jack Grealish both started for City as Guardiola named a strong line-up after Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool.
Stefan Ortega replaced Ederson in goal while young defender Rico Lewis came in after being a substitute at the weekend. Nathan Ake, Alvarez and Jeremy Doku were benched.
There were three changes for Leipzig who were beaten 2-1 by Wolfsburg in their last game.
Benjamin Henrichs, Christoph Baumgartner and striker Yussuf Poulsen lost out as captain Emil Forsberg, Nicolas Seiwald and Lukas Klostermann took their places.
City may have had the lion’s share of the early possession, but Leipzig carved out the chances.
Dutch international Xavi Simons fired an early warning bending a shot just wide of the upright.
Leipzig made a 13th minute breakthrough from a route one move. Keeper Janis Blaswich launched a long clearance as Belgium international Lois Openda turned Manuel Akanji in the centre circle before sprinting clear to slot the ball low past Ortega.
City responded as Ruben Dias headed inches over from Bernardo Silva’s free kick before Lewis blazed over having done the hard work to fashion an opening.
But it got worse for City when Leipzig doubled their lead in the 33rd minute as Openda struck again.
Openda turned Dias in his own half on the left flank to race clear before cutting inside Akanji and firing low past Ortega for his 13th goal of the season.
City made a change at the break with Nathen Ake replacing Dias who had been on a booking and living dangerously.
That was soon followed by a further two as Grealish and Kyle Walker were withdrawn to be replaced by Alvarez and Doku.
And within one minute City halved the deficit when Haaland ran on to Phil Foden’s through ball before slotting low past Blaswich for his 19th of the season.
City were level with 20 minutes left when Josko Gvardiol squared a pass to Foden who coolly slotted home by Foden for his sixth goal of the season.
Leipzig though they had regained the lead through Liverpool loanee Fabio Carvalho only for the effort to be ruled out for what turned out to be a clear offside.
And the comeback was completed in the 87th minute when Alavarez found the net after Doku and Foden had linked up superbly to set up the Argentine for his eighth of the season.
City made a fourth change in the third of six added minutes as Gvardiol was replaced by Sergio Gomes as they saw out the game without any threat.