After dropping points away at Nottingham Forest at the weekend, Manchester City will have to quickly switch their focus from the Premier League to the Champions League. The Blues are still one of the favourites to lift the prestigious trophy for the first time in the club's history, but they will need to raise their levels.
City's return to action following the break in the domestic campaign has been mixed. While the Blues are still in the top-flight title race, competing in the FA Cup and challenging in Europe, they disappointingly exited the Carabao Cup at the quarter-finals stage. As well as this, Pep Guardiola's men have dropped points in matches when no one saw it coming.
Guardiola's side have won nine matches since the end of December, and they have only lost twice in that period. However, as well as being charged by the Premier League earlier this month, City's standards on the pitch have somewhat dropped. The 'tricky period' will quickly be forgotten if the reigning champions do indeed go on to lift silverware this term, but people are starting to question the Blues for the first time in several years.
ALSO READ: Yaya Toure provides Man City Premier League title race verdict
The Blues will be confident of overcoming RB Leipzig in their Champions League Round of 16 tie, but with the German outfit coming out on top when the two sides last met in December 2021, City will certainly not underestimate their opponents. After the defeat to the Bundesliga outfit two years ago, Guardiola refused to criticise his players - despite an underwhelming showing.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Andre Silva put Leipzig two goals ahead in an empty Red Bull Arena, before Riyad Mahrez made it 2-1 with a late header. To make things worse on the night, Kyle Walker was sent off. Although the game was a dead rubber for City - given they had already claimed top spot in Group A - they still fielded a strong side, and their opponents made it clear that they go could toe-to-toe with them.
"In the first-half we lacked rhythm, we had problems to contact and they have a really good team - we knew from before the group stage," Guardiola told reporters after the game. "The second-half was much, much better but unfortunately we made one or two mistakes and they punished us. We played better in the second-half.
"We were more aggressive, we played to win the game and we lost. Congratulations to Leipzig. We made an incredible group stage, we qualified with one game left from a tough group so I am more than satisfied with the performance in every single game and in February hopefully we can arrive in the best condition possible."
Prior to that game, City had secured a 6-3 victory over Leipzig in the entertaining reverse fixture. It was a pulsating clash, and the Blues - despite conceding three times - were at their fluent best. However, the German giants still managed to hurt Guardiola's side - with their first half performance full of energy and desire.
Unlike other teams, Leipzig find a way to maintain their fast approach. Based on first-half scores, Marco Rose's sit third in the Bundesliga. In terms of the second period, they sit right at the very top. Only Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have scored more goals than them this season, but they have been let down by a leaky defence.
With Leipzig hosting City in the first leg of the tie, it is vital that the Blues are able to deal with their opponents in the early stages of the clash. Guardiola was keen to praise the German club for making it difficult for City in the opening period, and he will be insisting that his players take note of the past two encounters.
Although City lost ground in the title race at the weekend, the Champions League match will come as a welcomed distraction to the constant pressure of the Premier League battle - but it will be far from easy, and the Blues boss knows that.
READ NEXT:
