RB Leipzig vs Man City LIVE: Champions League latest score and updates after Mahrez goal

Manchester City travel to Germany to resume their Champions League campaign as they take on RB Leipzig in the first leg of their last-16 tie. Pep Guardiola will be hoping his side brush off the emotions of conceding a late equaliser to Nottingham Forest last time out and respond with a commanding performance against the Bundesliga outfit.

City cruised through the group stages remaining undefeated in all six of their matches. They won four and played out two goalless draws, against FC Copenhagen and Borussia Dortmund, on their way to finishing top of Group G. It is no secret that Guardiola wants to win the Champions League with City, who have reached the final and semi-finals of this competition in the last two seasons, but his team come up against a resolute side in Leipzig tonight.

RB Leipzig’s European campaign started poorly. They lost their opening two matches to Shakhtar Donetsk and Real Madrid but a run of four wins ensured they qualified for the knockout rounds. The German side are fifth in the Bundesliga and come into the match on the back of a 3-0 victory over Wolfsburg. Can they cause some trouble for City this evening?

Follow all the action as RB Leipzig host Manchester City in the Champions League last-16:

RB Leipzig vs Manchester City

• Goal! Riyad Mahrez fires City ahead (27 min)

• Leipzig: Blaswich; Klostermann, Orban, Gvardiol, Halstenberg; Laimer, Schlager; Werner, Szoboszlai, Forsberg; Andre Silva.

• Man City: Ederson; Walker, Akanji , Dias, Ake; Rodri, Bernardo, Gundogan; Mahrez, Grealish, Haaland.

Rasen Ballsport Leipzig 0 - 1 Manchester City FC

RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

21:19 , Ben Fleming

Here is the replay of Leipzig’s huge chance with Henrichs:

RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

21:17 , Ben Fleming

56 mins: Walker had pushed up well in the first half and only now are Leipzig beginning to exploit the space left behind. Werner gets to the touchline but his low cross is intercepted well by a diving Ederson.

RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

21:16 , Ben Fleming

55 mins: Huge chance! Leipzig continue their pressure and Henrichs has a huge chance. The home side work it quickly from left to right and Szoboszlai offloads it onto the full-back who has acres of space but can only drill a low effort wide of the post with Ederson at full stretch.

RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

21:13 , Ben Fleming

53 mins: Leipzig are beginning to show signs of life as they grow into the came. A cross from the left is met by substitute Henrichs but the full-backs header loops fractionally over the bar.

RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

21:10 , Ben Fleming

50 mins: Gundogan gets to the by-line and cuts it back well to Mahrez in the centre of the box but Leipzig bodies are there to block his low effort on goal.

RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

21:08 , Ben Fleming

48 mins: A brighter start from the hosts in this second half as Werner bursts into the box before his effort is blocked.

KICK-OFF: RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

21:05 , Ben Fleming

46 mins: We are underway in the second half.

RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

21:05 , Ben Fleming

At half-time, Leipzig make a change with Klostermann coming off for Henrichs.

Elsewhere in Europe

20:54 , Ben Fleming

In the other game taking place tonight, it remains goalless between Inter Milan and Porto at half-time.

RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

20:52 , Ben Fleming

The stats reflect what a dominant display that first half was for City. 74% possession, seven shots to one, and a goal ahead. Guardiola will be keen to press home their advantage after Mahrez gave them a deserved first-half lead. Marco Rose will have plenty to ponder in the Leipzig dressing room - something has to change in their performance if they are to get back into this game in the second-half

HALF-TIME: RB Leipzig 0-1 Man City

20:49 , Ben Fleming

Werner has a late chance which Ederson saves. It’s Leipzig’s first effort and the half-time whistle follows straight after. City lead at the break.

RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

20:46 , Ben Fleming

45 mins: Just one minute of added time to end the first half.

RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

20:42 , Ben Fleming

40 mins: A rare Leipzig attack sees Halstenberg with the ball high up on the left-hand side but the full-back’s cross is wildly overhit as he aims for Werner in the middle.

RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

20:41 , Ben Fleming

39 mins: Grealish has continued to stay wide on the left-hand side. He picks up the ball again and wins a corner with a deflected cross looking for Haaland. Mahrez delivers the set piece but Rodri’s header floats harmlessly over the ball.

RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

20:39 , Ben Fleming

38 mins: Leipzig have failed to register a single shot in this game and it’s been a very tame display from the home side so far.

RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

20:38 , Ben Fleming

RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

20:37 , Ben Fleming

35 mins: Even after the goal, City have continued to dominate the ball. They work the ball well around the box before Grealish is picked out. He cuts inside but fires just over with a curling effort.

RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

20:34 , Ben Fleming

Here is City’s opening goal and Mahrez’s 20th goal in the competition:

RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City

20:32 , Ben Fleming

30 mins: Chance! It’s a well-worked corner routine from City and Haaland nearly doubles the away side’s lead. Mahrez crosses to the far post and Rodri is there to fire it back across the box but Haaland is unable to get a boot on it to divert it back towards the goal.

GOAL! RB Leipzig 0-1 Manchester City (Mahrez 27’)

20:29 , Ben Fleming

City’s dominance pays off and they have the lead. Leipzig give the ball away cheaply and Grealish pounces. His pass to Gundogan works it way through to Mahrez, who fires home past Blaswich with a first-time effort.

RB Leipzig 0-0 Man City

20:24 , Ben Fleming

23 mins: More possession for City but few openings presenting themselves as they continue to switch the ball from side to side. Ake delivers a hopeful ball but Halstenberg heads away as Mahrez contests.

RB Leipzig 0-0 Man City

20:20 , Ben Fleming

19 mins: Leipzig have had little chance to get forward in this game and Werner is caught offside as the home team looks to launch a rare attack.

RB Leipzig 0-0 Man City

20:17 , Ben Fleming

16 mins: Gvardiol brings down Grealish on the edge of the box and City have a set-piece opportunity in a promising position...but Mahrez fires straight into the wall.

RB Leipzig 0-0 Man City

20:15 , Ben Fleming

13 mins: Just 13 minutes gone so far but City are well on top with more than 75% possession. Walker gets to the touchline and his cross is deflected over for the game’s first corner. Mahrez delivers but the header from Diaz is straight at Blaswich.

RB Leipzig 0-0 Man City

20:10 , Ben Fleming

9 mins: City win an early free-kick which Mahrez delivers but his cross is poor and Leipzig clear with ease

RB Leipzig 0-0 Man City

20:09 , Ben Fleming

8 mins: Gundogan, this time, makes a good burst into the box but his cross - aiming for Haaland - is blocked by Gvardiol.

RB Leipzig 0-0 Man City

20:07 , Ben Fleming

6 mins: Grealish gets released with plenty of space to run into. The Englishman jinxes inside and finds Mahrez but he takes a poor touch and Leipzig can dispossess him

RB Leipzig 0-0 Man City

20:03 , Ben Fleming

2 min: Still early stages but it looks as if Werner will operate on this left-hand side with Silva on his own up top and Forsberg playing behind the Portuguese striker.

KICK OFF! RB Leipzig 0-0 Man City

20:01 , Ben Fleming

Manchester City get this game underway.

RB Leipzig vs Man City

19:56 , Ben Fleming

The players are in the tunnel and we are just minutes away from kick off!

RB Leipzig vs Man City

19:49 , Ben Fleming

Martin Keown speaking on BT Sport before game: “De Bruyne is a big miss for Pep so it will be interesting to see Grealish tonight - I expect him to play a bit more centrally and Mahrez to keep that discipline on the right but Haaland is the one we are looking to turn up tonight.

“We saw how physical he was against the two Arsenal central defenders - I expect him to do the exact same tonight.

“Don’t underestimate Leipzig, they hardly ever lose at home so I think we’re in for a cracker.”

Pep Guardiola speaks to BT Sport

19:38 , Ben Fleming

“They play with a 4-4-2, all the players and runners inside. Typical Leipzig. I was in Germany three years, if you allow them to run they are unstoppable.”

On dropping Foden: “Phil Foden played really good last game but Riyad Mahrez has played good too.”

RB Leipzig vs Man City

19:36 , Ben Fleming

Kevin De Bruyne and Aymerica Laporte will be key figures missing tonight. Speaking to reporters yesterday, Guardiola explained their abscences.

He said: “Kevin and Laporte: illness.

“They are not ready. It is what it is. During the season, unfortunately sometimes that happens.

“[De Bruyne] didn’t feel good right after the game against Nottingham.

“Yesterday Aymer didn’t feel well. Other players are going to play. That happens sometimes.”

RB Leipzig vs Man City

19:30 , Ben Fleming

Man City’s Ederson warming up ahead of kick-off

RB Leipzig vs Man City: Key Stats

19:25 , Ben Fleming

Some key stats ahead of tonight’s clash:

- The two previous meetings between RB Leipzig and Manchester City came in the UEFA Champions League last season, with a total of 12 goals being scored across the two matches (Man City 6-3 RB Leipzig and RB Leipzig 2-1 Man City).

- After winning their first three matches in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, RB Leipzig have lost each of their last three without scoring a goal – 0-3 v Paris Saint-Germain in the 2019-20 semi-final and two 0-2 defeats v Liverpool in the last 16 in 2020-21.

- Since the start of last season, only Kingsley Coman (18) has created more chances following a carry than Manchester City’s Jack Grealish (15) in the Champions League. In this same period, Grealish has averaged more chances created from open play per 90 than any other Man City player (2.5).

19:20 , Ben Fleming

Tuesday’s other game saw Italy’s in-form team Napoli take a commanding lead in their last-16 tie against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Last night’s match report from Germany:

Napoli on cruise control to build first-leg lead over Eintracht Frankfurt

Last night in the Champions League

19:15 , Ben Fleming

The scenario is doubly familiar, doubly famous. Liverpool’s two greatest comebacks in Europe came from three goals down at half-time of sorts: one against a Carlo Ancelotti side, the other against a Spanish superpower. They were three adrift after 45 minutes in the 2005 Champions League final, three behind after 90 in the 2019 semi-final. They overcame Ancelotti’s AC Milan in Istanbul on penalties and Lionel Messi’s Barcelona at Anfield with a four-goal blitz.

Now for the hat-trick? Not likely. Now they go to the Bernabeu to face Ancelotti’s Champions League holders, 5-2 down to Real Madrid already. Liverpool hare succeeded at mission improbable before but this seems mission impossible. Even the ‘Jurgener believers’ might struggle to believe now. Indeed, even Jurgen Klopp, who has turned positivity into an art form, sounded downbeat. “I think Carlo thinks the tie is over and I think it as well in the moment,” he said. Defeat led to defeatism. “Of course” it is a tougher test than Barcelona, because the second leg then was at home.

Last night’s report from a remarkable night of Champions League football:

The familiar Liverpool failings exposed by the true mentality monsters

RB Leipzig vs Man City

19:10 , Ben Fleming

RB Leipzig vs Man City

19:09 , Ben Fleming

RB Leipzig vs Man City

19:05 , Ben Fleming

In a slightly alternate world, requiring only a few different developments, Wednesday night’s match against RB Leipzig might have been a landmark event for Manchester City for the wrong reasons. It might well have represented their first Champions League knock-out fixture in three years, had Uefa’s punishment of a two-year ban not been overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in July 2020.

That might even have been the case had the governing body’s response been different.

The “fudge” that the outcome represented – where City were fined £10m for non-cooperation – is reflected in the number of questions that remain about the case, that are being asked again at the top level of football after the Premier League charged the serial champions with over 100 alleged breaches.

Ahead of tonight’s match, Miguel Delanely on the latest surrounding Manchester City’s investigation by the Premier League:

Man City and the old questions that could lead to Champions League ban

RB Leipzig vs Man City

18:55 , Ben Fleming

Man City had been experimenting with a back three at points in the last couple of games but it looks like Pep has decided to revert to the back four. De Bruyne will be the big loss in the centre of midfield and Silva and Gundogan - either side of Rodri - will now be tasked with providing the creative spark for the English side.

RB Leipzig vs Man City

18:51 , Ben Fleming

The substitutes for both sides:

RB Leipzig: Haidara, Henrichs, Kampl, Nickisch, Nkunku, Nyland, Poulsen, Raum, Simakan

Man City: Alvarez, Carson, Charles, Foden, Gomez, Lewis, Ortega, Palmer, Perrone, Phillips, Robertson

RB Leipzig vs Man City - confirmed line-ups

18:47 , Ben Fleming

RB Leipzig: Blaswich; Klostermann, Orban, Gvardiol, Halstenberg; Laimer, Schlager; Werner, Szoboszlai, Forsberg; Andre Silva

Man City: Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Ake; Silva, Rodri, Gundogan; Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish

RB Leipzig vs Man City

18:45 , Ben Fleming

When is it?

The match will kick off at 8pm on Wednesday, 22 January at the Red Bull Arena.

How can I watch?

The match will be available for fans to watch on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate. Coverage starts on both at 7pm.

RB Leipzig vs Man City - early team news

18:40 , Ben Fleming

Leipzig remain without Peter Gulacsi, Dani Olmo and Abdou Diallo with the trio out with long-term injuries. The home side have been provided with a boost after both Christopher Nkunku and Konrad Laimer made appearances off the bench on the weekend. The French forward has not featured for Leipzig since November, while Laimer appears to have shaken off a thigh issue.

For Man City, John Stones is still out with a thigh problem. Kevin De Bruyne and Aymerica Laporte were also left out of City’s squad for tonight’s match.

RB Leipzig vs Man City

18:30 , Ben Fleming

Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of tonight’s last-16 Champions League first leg between RB Leipzig and Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola’s side drew 1-1 against Nottingham Forest at the weekend to hand Arsenal back a two-point lead at the top of the league table. They reached the competition’s final in 2021 - losing 1-0 to Chelsea - and were unbeaten in the group stage campaign this season, topping Group G with 14 points.

Leipzig beat Wolfsburg 3-0 on Saturday and sit fifth in the Bundesliga, four points of Bayern Munich in first.

Leipzig’s best run in the competition saw them reach the semi-finals in 2019-20, where they lost 3-0 to Paris Saint-Germain. The German side finished second in Group F behind reigning champions Real Madrid.

The sides have met twice before - in last season’s group stages - with both sides winning once.