Manchester City aim for last 16 second-leg victory over RB Leipzig in Champions League

Held in check in the first leg, Manchester City will be looking to secure their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in their last 16 second-leg game at home to RB Leipzig.

Since their draw in Germany three weeks ago, the Sky Blues are second in the English Premier League within two points of Arsenal who currently hold the coveted top spot.

While The Citizens are favourites to win at Etihad Stadium, a defeat for boss Pep Guardiola’s men could seal their exit from the competition.

It’s the fourth time in 18 months that the teams have met in the Champions League, having drawn in the same group last season. 

City midfielder, Kevin De Bruyne, warns that this victory will not come easy: “I think we’ve played them (RB Leipzig) now three times in the last two years already. And I think we already know what kind of team it is. It’s a high-energy, high-quality, intensive team. 

“And you know, they have that Red Bull DNA of playing with a lot of players in the middle”, he continued.

They’re very aggressive and they know how to make it a tough game. And I think they have a lot of quality.

Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City midfielder

In the other Champions League match of the day, FC Porto will face Inter Milan after a 1-nil defeat in the first leg.

The Portuguese club have only lost three games at home this season however they are without playmaker Otávio, who was suspended due to his red card in Italy.

 Defender João Mário due to a knee injury is also out due to a knee injury.

Porto followed the loss in Milan with another defeat in the Portuguese league, but it won two in a row after that. Simone Inzaghi’s men lost two out of three matches after beating Porto, including at lowly Spezia 2-1 in the Italian league on Friday. 

Porto, the Champions League winner in 2004, is trying to make it to the last eight for the first time since 2021. 

Inter’s last trip to the quarter-finals was in 2011.

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