Bundesliga
Leipzig fall victim to Haaland show in Champions League
A Manchester City performance made in the Bundesliga and spearheaded by Erling Haaland condemned RB Leipzig to a chastening defeat in their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie.
Man City 7-0 RB Leipzig (agg: 8-1)
Goals: 1-0 Haaland pen. 22', 2-0 Haaland 24', 3-0 Haaland 45'+2, 4-0 Gündogan 49' (assist: Grealish), 5-0 Haaland 53', 6-0 Haaland 57', 7-0 De Bruyne 90'+2 (assist: Mahrez)
After drawing the first leg 1-1, Leipzig knew a win in Manchester would send them into the quarter-final draw. However, their task was made a whole lot harder by a a quick-fire Haaland double. The former Borussia Dortmund striker converted a penalty after Benjamin Henrichs had been penalised for handball, and was first to react when ex-Wolfsburg and Werder Bremen midfielder Kevin De Bruyne rattled the crossbar from range. Janis Blaswich denied Ilkay Gündogan - another of City’s Bundesliga-reared stars - but was powerless to prevent Haaland completing his hat-trick with a poacher’s finish after Ruben Dias headed against the woodwork.
It got worse for Leipzig soon after the restart as City captain Gündogan exchanged passes with Jack Grealish, before nestling an effort past Blaswich. The Leipzig goalkeeper pulled off a superb double save from Bernardo Silva and Haaland, who was nevertheless able to convert the rebound for his fourth of the night. He added a fifth just short of the hour, firing in with aplomb after Blaswich had saved well from former Dortmund defender Manuel Akanji. Marco Rose sent on Andre Silva and Dani Olmo for the final 15 minutes, but the damage had long been done. De Bruyne got in on the act in added time to round off a punishing night for Die Roten Bullen.
Watch: Erling Haaland's best Bundesliga goals for BVB
Match stats
- Leipzig were competing in the Champions League for the fifth time, having only been promoted to the Bundesliga in 2016.
- Haaland scored 62 goals in 67 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund, but this was the first time at senior club level he hit five in one game.
- Leipzig were unbeaten in five Champions League matches – their best run in the competition since a seven-game unbeaten run in 2019/20, when they reached the semi-final stage.
- It was only the second time in their last 14 Champions League matches that Leipzig failed to score.
- Gündogan won a Bundesliga-DFB Cup double under Jürgen Klopp in 2011/12. Sergio Gomez (also Dortmund) and Stefan Ortega (Arminia Bielefeld) also played in Germany's top flight.
- Pep Guardiola lifted three Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich, whom City could yet meet in this season's Champions League after the record champions' winning run to the quarters.
Teams
Man City: Ederson - Stones (Sergio Gomez 63'), Akanji, Dias, Ake - Rodri (Phillips 64'), Gündogan (c) (Mahrez 55') - Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne, Grealish (Foden 55') - Haaland (Alvarez 63')
Unused subs: Ortega, Carson, Walker, Laporte, Perrone, Palmer, Lewis
Out: Mendy (ineligible)
Coach: Pep Guardiola
Leipzig: Blaswich - Henrichs (Klostermann 80'), Orban (c), Gvardiol, Raum - Laimer, Haidara (Simakan 62'), Kampl - Szoboszlai (Olmo 72'), Werner (Poulsen 62'), Forsberg (Silva 63')
Unused subs: Nyland, Nickisch, Halstenberg, Ba
Out: Diallo (knee), Gulacsi (knee), Nkunku (thigh), Schlager (ankle)
Coach: Marco Rose
As it happened
7 - 0(0 - 0)
Man City
SECOND HALF
Leipzig
90' +2
vs
Icing on the cake
One final dagger to Leipzig's heart as De Bruyne curls into the top corner from 20 yards. The finishing touch to a dominant performance.
89'
vs
Running the clock down
The steam has gone out of this encounter now, with City taking the foot off the gas and Leipzig waiting for full-time.
85'
vs
5 minutes left
Not long to go in this one now.
80'
vs
Lukas Klostermann
Benjamin Henrichs
79'
vs
Silva shoots wide
A first opportunity in a while for Leipzig as Silva shoots just wide of the post.
77'
vs
Manuel Akanji
67'
vs
Kevin De Bruyne
34'
vs
Timo Werner
72'
vs
Dani Olmo
Dominik Szoboszlai
64'
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Rose looking ahead
There is little Rose can do here other than look ahead to the weekend's game against Bochum, and he makes three changes to allow some of his players to conserve some energy.
63'
vs
Sergio Gomez
John Stones
63'
vs
Kalvin Phillips
Rodri
63'
vs
Julian Alvarez
Erling Haaland
63'
vs
Mohamed Simakan
Amadou Haidara
63'
vs
Yussuf Poulsen
Timo Werner
63'
vs
André Silva
Emil Forsberg
57'
vs
Just not at the races
It hasn't been a good night for Leipzig. They just haven't got going and have been made to pay by a super-efficient City team.
57'
vs
ANOTHER for Haaland
This is getting a bit silly now. A fifth of the game for Haaland. Leipzig cannot wait for this game to be over.
55'
vs
Phil Foden
Jack Grealish
55'
vs
Riyad Mahrez
Ilkay Gundogan
54'
vs
Haaland on the scoresheet again
Haaland scores for a fourth time, firing home from inside the six-yard area. Leipzig just haven't been able to deal with the former Dortmund star tonight.
49'
vs
Gundogan bags the fourth
City play their way out from the back, and Gundogan puts the finishing touch to the move. Things go from bad to worse for Leipzig.
46'
vs
Off we go again!
Leipzig kick us off in this second half. Remember, they need three goals to force extra-time.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
0 - 0
Half-time
45' +2
vs
Haaland hat-trick
Haaland lands a hammer blow, prodding home effectively on the line after Ruben Dias' header hit the post. That mountain Leipzig needed to climb just got bigger.
45'
vs
Couple of minutes to go
Not long to go before Rose can speak to his players at the interval and try to turn the tide.
39'
vs
Blaswich on form
The goalkeeper has been fantastic in this first half and makes another fine stop to deny Gundogan.
35'
vs
Huge opening
Some sloppy City play allows Konrad Laimer to play a ball into Werner, but he just get to it and it trickles harmlessly away from danger. A positive few minutes from Leipzig's perspective.
31'
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Haaland causing all sorts of problems
Another effort for the star City forward, but this time, Blaswich makes a strong save.
58s
vs
Watch: Best of Haaland
Another reminder of just how devastating Haaland can be.
24'
vs
2-0!
A double blow for Leipzig as City and Haaland score again! De Bruyne plants a fierce drive onto the crossbar, and the striker is quickest to the rebound as he heads home.
22'
vs
Haaland breaks the deadlock
Haaland steps up to take the penalty and, although Blaswich dives the right way, he can't get a hand to it as it nestles in the corner. Work for Leipzig to do now!
20'
vs
Penalty!
Rodri heads against Henrichs' hand from that aforementioned corner, and a penalty is given following a VAR intervention. Blaswich held an Alassane Plea spot-kick at the weekend - can he do the same here?
19'
vs
Leipzig survive a scare
Leipzig are riding their luck a little here! Grealish puts in a corner, and the Citizens have several chances to finish, but a combination of some brilliant last-gasp defending and poor shooting keeps the scores level.
16'
vs
Grealish effort blocked
City are playing some good stuff here. Some nice build-up play makes its way to Jack Grealish, but his shot is blocked.
14'
vs
First foray forward
A first real attack from Leipzig finds its way to David Raum on the left flank. He fires in a dangerous low cross, but nobody makes a front post run and Ederson claims it unchallenged.
22s
vs
Watch: Szoboszlai on Haaland friendship
We know all about Haaland from his Bundesliga days, but Dominik Szobozlai and the Norwegian go all the way back to Red Bull Salzburg.
11'
vs
Haaland close
Great chance for Erling Haaland, who is played through on goal by a searching long ball from Nathan Ake. Blaswich, though, is equal to his toe poke. Still level!
6'
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Positive set-up
City are dominating possession early on, but the visitors are pressing high up the pitch and are looking to win the ball at every opportunity.
3'
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Huge chance!
Doesn't take long for City to find their first opening! Kevin De Bruyne swings a cross into Ilkay Gundogan, but the former Borussia Dortmund man can only fire his half-volley over the bar despite being in loads of space in the area. Leipzig need to be careful!
1'
vs
And we're off!
City get us underway!
First-leg report
Josko Gvardiol kept RB Leipzig's hopes of reaching the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals alive with the equalising goal in their last-16 home leg against Manchester City.
Leipzig 1-1 Manchester City
Goals: 0-1 Mahrez 27’ (assist: Gündogan), 1-1 Gvardiol 70’ (assist: Halstenberg)
Leipzig frustrated City for long periods in the first half, with a tame Rodri header from a corner the only save of note for Janis Blaswich in the opening exchanges. However a lapse in concentration from Xaver Schlager allowed former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gündogan to play in Riyad Mahrez for the opening goal. Rodri and Jack Grealish failed to make the most of presentable chances to double City’s lead, and were nearly punished on the stroke of half time. Timo Werner - who was part of the Chelsea team that beat Man City in the 2020/21 Champions League final - was the beneficiary of some brilliant play by Emil Forsberg, but couldn’t steer his attempt past Ederson.
The introduction of right-back Benjamin Henrichs gave Leipzig far more impetus in an attacking sense, with the roaming right-back heading over from Marcel Halstenberg soon after the restart. The Leipzig substitute arrowed a low effort narrowly wide moments later, before Ederson made a big save in a one-on-one with Andre Silva. The Man City custodian was called on again to beat away a Dominik Szoboszlai piledriver, but was powerless to prevent defender Gvardiol heading in the resultant corner. Blaswich then made a magnificent stop from Gündogan to leave the tie all square ahead of the decisive second leg in Manchester on 14 March.
As it happened