Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan wants Blues fans to 'play their part' at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday in the Champions League.
City host RB Leipzig in their Champions League last-16 second leg, having been held to a competitive 1-1 draw in Germany three weeks ago. Pep Guardiola positioned the game as a one-leg knockout following the draw, and has spoken of the impact City fans can have to ensure they make the most of their home advantage.
Now, captain Gundogan has made a direct plea to supporters, saying they could prove the difference in a close game between winning and losing.
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“Our fans are always amazing. Home and away, they are always with us," Gundogan said. "They can really play their part on Tuesday night. In a close game, they can be the decisive factor. There is no better feeling than playing an important match at the Etihad with our fans and we are all excited to get out there and play with them right behind us.
“We know how tough this game is going to be. Our first half performance in Leipzig was strong and we were deservedly 1-0 up at half-time. After the break they made some changes and improved.
"A draw was probably a fair result and it means the second leg is now a final. We know we will have to be at our best to get a result. We are ready, focused and looking forward to playing a huge game in front of our supporters back at the Etihad.”
City are eight games unbeaten in all competitions, with Guardiola calling this week 'decisive' in their season, given they are aiming to remain in three competitions after the upcoming international break.
The Blues will continue to be judged by their success in the Champions League, and Gundogan believes City's previous exits in the competition will only make them stronger when it comes to these second leg games in the knockout stages.
He said: “We will always fight for the Champions League. It is the trophy that all of us want and we will do everything we can to achieve this. We have been so close in recent years.
"The defeats in the final and semi-final have motivated us even more. We have the experience in this competition and now it is about using this alongside our quality to try and be successful.
“We are in a good moment I feel. We had some disappointing results in January and February, but now we feel more in our rhythm and I am confident we can have a positive end to the season. We know we are getting to a crucial part of the season where you cannot drop off. We have to keep our concentration high throughout to be there at the right moment.
"The fact that we are still in a good position in three competitions definitely helps us. Every game is a final. We just have to focus on ourselves as we always do, one game at a time and use our experience. If we can do all of those things, we will put ourselves in the best possible position to challenge for titles at the end of the season.”
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