Winning the Champions League is a dream that just won’t come to fruition for Manchester City. They did come very close to achieving it on several occasions but to no avail. Will it be different in 2023? Pep Guardiola and his boys sure hope so, but the road to the title is full of obstacles, the first one coming in the form of RB Leipzig.
Oddsmakers think Man City will knock Leipzig out of the competition, but will they do it with a win in the first leg? Or maybe home support will be enough to help Leipzig cause an upset? To see what we think, keep reading this RB Leipzig vs Manchester City prediction piece.
RB Leipzig vs Manchester City Odds
| Moneyline | Odds |
|---|---|
| RB Leipzig | +320 |
| Draw | +300 |
| Manchester City | -133 |
| Goals Over/Under | Odds |
|---|---|
| Over 2.5 Goals | -137 |
| Under 2.5 Goals | +110 |
*Odds taken from bet365 on Friday, February 17, 2023.
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany
- Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2023
- Time: 3:00 PM ET
- How to Watch: CBS
RB Leipzig are (Usually) Great at Home
RB Leipzig are the best home side in the German Bundesliga with a 7-2-1 record at Red Bull Arena. Their only home loss happened to Union Berlin in their most recent game played in Leipzig. Is this something that should worry them ahead of the game with Man City?
We don’t think the union Berlin loss is indicative of problems in RB Leipzig. It’s just that they were unlucky in that match, with one of their goals being disallowed and the opposition scoring one from the penalty spot.
Speaking of luck, Leipzig really are unlucky when it comes to injuries. Even though they’ve been doing okay lately, the fact is that they have some serious issues with fitness. Their first-choice goalie Peter Gulacsi is out, and so are (at least) two of his colleagues from the defensive line – Marcel Halstenberg and Abdou Diallo.
Further, RB Leipzig will probably miss another three midfielders, which actually is their biggest worry ahead of the clash with Manchester City. The thing is that two of those players are Leipzig’s biggest stars – Dani Olmo and Christopher Nkunku.
Manchester City are Back on the Right Track
The Cityzens are once again playing top soccer, the result of which is that they’re back in the race for the Premier League trophy. But retaining the domestic title isn’t their only goal for 2023. They also want to win their first UCL trophy in history.
That’s why they’re going to take the RB Leipzig doubleheader very seriously. They’re coming to Germany with the intention of winning this game. Oddsmakers think they’re going to pull it off, which is understandable considering that Pep Guardiola’s men are in top form right now.
Guardiola also has practically no major injury worries, with all of his key men being 100% fit. Knowing this, anything but a win for the Cityzens on Wednesday would be seen as a surprise.
RB Leipzig vs Manchester City Prediction
Manchester City is a team famous for playing possession soccer, and with RB Leipzig having injury problems in the midfield, we think Guardiola’s boys will dominate Wednesday’s game. When they dominate, they usually win, which is what we think will happen this time as well.
Picks: Manchester City to win and under 2.5 goals