Maresca asks more of City's attack as Leipzig recover their footing
Manchester City arrive after consecutive league defeats, with six points from their opening three Champions League matches. Enzo Maresca has warned that Erling Haaland cannot carry the scoring burden alone, while Leipzig have won three of their last five competitive matches.
Manchester City's recent league defeats have made Enzo Maresca's warning particularly relevant. The visitors have lost to Aston Villa and Brighton in their last two league matches, and the manager knows that Erling Haaland cannot be expected to solve every problem in front of goal.
Manchester City's greater European experience gives them the edge, but Leipzig's recent recovery and home advantage should make this a demanding evening for the visitors.
City have six points from their opening three Champions League matches, beating Porto 2-0 and AEK Athens 5-1 either side of a 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. Maresca has been clear about what he wants from the rest of his attack. "At the same time, we cannot rely on Erling for every game. We need the rest to score goals." Haaland remains central to City's threat, but the supporting cast must contribute.
Leipzig have had a more encouraging run after heavy defeats away to Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. They have won three of their last five competitive matches, including a 4-0 victory over Elversberg and a 2-0 win at Schalke last weekend. Their three points from the opening European fixtures leave them with work to do, but the latest domestic results offer a better picture of their current condition.
The German side also have a familiar face in the opposing dugout. Martín Demichelis, who spent three years at Manchester City as a player, took charge of Leipzig in June. His side will need to make the most of their attacking opportunities against opponents who have conceded in their last two league defeats. City, meanwhile, have to find a way to make their attacking threat less dependent on Haaland.
The previous meetings favour the English side. City have won four of the six Champions League meetings between the clubs, with Leipzig winning once and the other ending level. Their latest meeting finished 3-2 to City in November 2023. That history offers the visitors encouragement, but Leipzig's recent improvement gives this meeting a different starting point.
