The hot topics before of Manchester City’s Champions League last-16 opening leg vs RB Leipzig.
Kevin De Bruyne and Julian Alvarez.
De Bruyne replacement already revealed?
Pep Guardiola has spoken increasingly in recent weeks about Kevin De Bruyne’s position in the Manchester City squad, especially after dropping him for both recent Premier League clashes with Tottenham. De Bruyne will always be City’s go-to man in the big games, although Guardiola has been more and more tempted to replace him with Julian Alvarez this season.
So if De Bruyne is absent at RB Leipzig this week, could Alvarez be the go-to replacement in Guardiola’s eyes? The manager has pointed to Alvarez’s ability to add another body in the box when he replaces De Bruyne, and if Guardiola wants to be more adventurous in the first leg of this Champions League last-16 first leg then maybe Alvarez is in line to step in rather than another midfielder.
Big Bernardo decision to make
Even before news of Aymeric Laporte’s absence, Bernardo Silva’s experimental stint at left-back was going to be a big talking point ahead of the Leipzig trip. A back three with Bernardo dropping into left-back worked against Aston Villa and Arsenal, but Nottingham Forest targeted that side at the weekend and pulled Bernardo out of position late on to steal a point.
Dominik Szoboszlai would not need telling twice to get at that position for Leipzig, so returning Nathan Ake to left-back in a traditional back four could make sense this week. However, with Laporte and Dias not training on Tuesday, that takes away one defender to replace Bernardo, and perhaps means the Portuguese is needed to cover for De Bruyne higher up the field too.
Time for talk is over
This week, Ederson said City will attack the Champions League with the aim of winning it, suggesting that a team of their quality should be winning this competition and that Pep Guardiola’s time at the club is deserving of the European Cup. Guardiola and others have not been shy in stating their aims at going all the way this season after heartbreaking semi-final and final defeats in the last two seasons.
However, to get to those latter stages, City need to be on the ball in the earlier knockout rounds as they resume European action for the first time since November. A draw would suffice ahead of next month’s second leg at the Etihad, but the Blues will be looking to make a statement against an opponent who shouldn’t be underestimated.
Putting right the Forest wrongs
City’s main issue in the draw at Nottingham Forest was their woeful finishing, with Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne and Aymeric Laporte all guilty of wasting good chances. They cannot afford to do that in the Champions League, and they will also be looking to put right the wrongs of the weekend. Kyle Walker insisted that the defence must keep clean sheets if the forwards are not firing, and that will be even more pivotal at Leipzig.
Guardiola was calm after the Forest draw as he knew the chances were being created and the attitude was acceptable. He’s far more concerned if City aren’t making the openings rather than when they’re wasting them. After a frustrating setback, albeit with a simple solution, the best way to put it right is to be more clinical in Germany and tighter at the back if a win is not possible.
Memories of Leipzig
This was one of the ‘easier’ ties City could have drawn in the last-16, but Leipzig will be no pushovers as they showed in last season’s group stage. City won an entertaining 6-3 clash at the Etihad, before Leipzig got the points with a 2-1 victory at the Red Bull Arena on matchday six after City had already secured top spot. However, Guardiola went strong for the dead rubber and Kyle Walker was foolishly sent off on a forgettable night.
As well as some familiar faces in Szoboszlai, Christopher Nkunku, Andre Silva, Dani Olmo and Emile Forsberg, City will also have to cope with Timo Werner who enjoyed some of his better games for Chelsea against the Blues. If City go to Leipzig thinking they have had a favourable draw, they will be much mistaken. Just ask Real Madrid, who were beaten at the Red Bull Arena in the group stage.
source: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
