Erling Haaland has scored more goals against RB Leipzig than against any other opponent in his career, and Manchester City's striker gets another crack at his favourite victims in Germany tonight.
City travel to the Red Bull Arena for their Champions League league-phase clash with Leipzig (20:00 GMT) sitting 10th in the 36-team table on six points, and in need of a response after back-to-back Premier League defeats.
A fixture Haaland owns
The numbers are startling. Haaland has 12 goals in eight appearances against Leipzig, including the record-equalling five he scored in City's 7-0 win in the second leg of their 2022-23 last-16 tie. The last six meetings between these clubs have produced 30 goals, an average of five a game, and City have won four of them, drawing one and losing one.
The most recent meeting, in November 2023, summed the fixture up: Leipzig led 2-0 at half-time at the Etihad before City roared back to win 3-2. Leipzig know better than anyone that sitting back against Haaland does not work — the question tonight is whether they have learned how to stop him at all.
City arrive wounded
Enzo Maresca's side lost 1-0 at home to Brighton on Saturday, Yasin Ayari's early goal condemning them to a second straight league defeat and costing them top spot to Arsenal. In Europe their form has been mixed: a 2-0 win at Porto and a 5-1 rout of AEK Athens either side of a 4-2 home defeat by holders PSG, whose record-breaking start against Villarreal last night underlined the standard at the top of this competition.
Phil Foden, who scored a hat-trick against AEK, and Rayan Cherki are both pushing for recalls, with at least one of Ayyoub Bouaddi, Enzo Fernandez or Elliot Anderson expected to make way. Marc Guehi is pushing to start in central defence, while Josko Gvardiol — who scored for Leipzig against City in 2023 — could be replaced at left-back by Nico O'Reilly.
City's only injury concern remains Ghana winger Antoine Semenyo, whose knee injury is expected to keep him out until mid-December. The Ghana international's absence removes City's most direct wide threat, and his story makes his rise to this level all the more remarkable.
Demichelis and the Leipzig reunion
There is a reunion on the home bench, too. Leipzig are coached by Martin Demichelis, the former City defender who made 15 Champions League appearances for the club and scored in a win at Borussia Monchengladbach in 2015. Appointed in June, he has won eight of his 13 matches in charge, and Saturday's 2-0 win over Schalke lifted Leipzig to fourth in the Bundesliga, three points behind leaders Bayern Munich.
But Leipzig's European campaign is fragile: 29th in the table with three points, after 4-1 defeats by Como and Real Madrid either side of a 1-0 win over PSV, secured by Brajan Gruda's late goal. They have also lost their last five UEFA games against English opposition.
Demichelis is without Assan Ouedraogo (shoulder) and Marc Guiu (muscle), while Maxime Esteve is doubtful with a knock. Christopher Nkunku — who once scored a hat-trick for Leipzig in a 6-3 defeat at City — was an unused substitute against Schalke and may not be fit to start. Antonio Nusa, Leipzig's top scorer with five goals this season, is expected to lead the threat from the left, with Christoph Baumgartner pushing to start in midfield. Team news has been tracked by Sports Mole and Heavy ahead of kick-off.
So what does it mean?
A win tonight would push City firmly back towards the top eight and the automatic knockout places, and ease the pressure building on Maresca after the Brighton defeat, with a trip to Nottingham Forest next before the international break. Defeat, in a league phase this tight, would leave them looking at the play-off round and a far harder winter.
For Leipzig, anything from this game is a bonus in a campaign that is already slipping away — but a first win over City since their 2-1 home success in December 2021 would transform their position and give Demichelis the signature result of his young reign.
Beyond the Final Whistle: Leipzig build their whole week around stopping one man, and history says it will not matter. Haaland does not have favourite opponents by accident — he has them because their style suits him, and Leipzig's high line is an open invitation. Expect goals, expect chaos, and expect the Norwegian to add to the dozen he already has against them. Can Leipzig finally find a way to keep Haaland quiet, or is another big night for City's No.9 inevitable? Let us know in the comments.
