After the winter break, the 2022-2023 Champions League two-legged two-legged matches await us, which will determine the top eight European clubs this season. Looking at the balance of matches of the 1/8 finals this year, it is safe to say that the saying that the Champions League only starts with the playoffs is not invented. Several matches could no doubt qualify for the final. However, the lot decreed otherwise.
One of the most predictable pairs of the 1/8 finals of the Champions League is the match between Manchester City and Leipzig, which is confirmed by mosbet bookmaker quotes. Let’s consider how fair this belief in the English is and what odds bookmakers offer to qualify for the quarterfinals.
The path of Manchester City to the 1/8 finals of the Champions League
Manchester City are considered to be the favorites at current bookmaker odds. Under the leadership of Josep Guardiola, the Citizens in this year’s Champions League games coped with their rivals quite easily. In the group with such teams as Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and Copenhagen, the townspeople quite predictably took 1st place and went to the playoffs ahead of schedule.
At the start of the group stage, Josep Guardiola’s team defeated Sevilla away (4:0) and at their home stadium Copenhagen (5:0), and also beat Borussia Dortmund with a score of 2:1. After it became clear that the problem had been solved, the “citizens” allowed themselves to rotate the squad in the remaining three matches and two matches against Copenhagen and Borussia ended in a draw with the same score 0:0. The townspeople won another meeting against Sevilla with a score of 3:1. At the group stage, traditionally for the current season, Erling Haaland scored a lot for the Citizens, who scored 5 goals. It is noteworthy that the team of Josep Guardiola conceded only 2 goals in 6 matches, which indicates a good defensive game.
Many experts believe that the match against Leipzig for Manchester City will be somewhat reminiscent of the games with Borussia, however, the teams differ in their style of play, have different performers in their squads, and we believe that it is inappropriate to compare them.
Leipzig’s path to the 1/8 finals of the Champions League
The German club’s road to the playoffs was much more difficult and tense. Let’s start with the fact that Leptzig was in the same group with Real Madrid, Celtic and Shakhtar Donetsk, where, although it was initially considered the main favorite for 2nd place, there were certain doubts about this. In particular, the fans had questions after the opening match in the home match against Shakhtar, where the German team lost 1:4 to the Ukrainians. In the 2nd round, Leipzig was beaten by Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu with a score of 2:0 and the situation for Red Bull became almost a dead end.
However, in the future, the team was able to get together and played the remaining matches very powerfully. In the 3rd round, Celtic was beaten at the home stadium with a score of 3:1, then the team from Scotland once again lost to the Germans 0:2 but already in their own field. In the 5th round, Leipzig outplayed Real at home in an interesting match with a score of 3:2 and in the final match, in which the fate of the ticket to the playoffs was decided, the German club did not leave a stone unturned from Shakhtar Donetsk, defeating the latter with a score 0:4 away. Thus, despite the fact that Marco Rose’s team had a poor start in the group stage, in the future, the players and the coaching staff were able to show real character and turn the tide. In many ways, this character should help Leipzig in the fights against Manchester City.
Odds for the match “Manchester City” – “Leipzig”
RB Leipzig and Christopher Nkunku are determined to continue their Champions League journey with a victory over Josep Guardiola’s Manchester City. In terms of goals scored in the Champions League this season, Leipzig are impressive. With 13 goals in five games, the Saxon team is second only to four other teams in the tournament, all of whom are group winners. No other current runner-up team has come close to that. However, we have already noted that the “townspeople” conceded only 2 goals in the group round.
Odds for the passage of teams to the 1/4 finals:
- Manchester City – 1.16.
- Leipzig – 5.25.
Despite the fact that the bookmakers have already given away a ticket to the quarterfinals to the British, the German club will fight and get their chances. RB Leipzig are great offensively and aren’t afraid to play an open game. Marco Rose’s team has already proven that they can play on equal terms and even defeat such giants of European football as Real Madrid and the fight against Manchester City will be another ordeal.
Of course, the Germans have little chance of reaching the 1/4, since the team of Josep Guardiola is considered the main contender for winning the Champions League this season, but we will not write off Leipzig. We are waiting for fun, open football, with a lot of goals scored!
