Leipzig manager Marco Rose says his injury-hit side will need to produce their “match of the season” to knock Manchester City out of the Champions League on Wednesday (7am AEDT).
Rose’s team will arrive at the Etihad Stadium for the last 16 second leg tie with just 17 available outfield players.
Christopher Nkunku and Xaver Schlager are among the key absentees for the Bundesliga club, who held City to a 1-1 draw in the first leg last month.
Meanwhile, Inter Milan travel to Porto to play the Portuguese heavyweights, but boast a 1-0 aggregate advantage.
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Leipzig were already underdogs against the Premier League champions even without their injury woes and Rose knows they must be perfect to spring a major upset.
“We played against the opponent a few weeks ago and we know what to expect but it sounds easy in theory. In practice against City it is a different ball game,” Rose told reporters on Monday.
“The first half in Leipzig was bad. Our defence wasn’t too bad but we hardly had any possession, that was the main issue.
“We want to be more intensive when we defend, meaning we will have a bit more possession, but once we have the ball we need to be a bit more responsible as well.
“If we only press it will open spaces for them, but if we just defend and don’t attack we will concede at some point.
“We need to find the right balance, we need a lot of confidence and courage, and we will need our best match this season.”
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Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola admits his Manchester City reign will be defined by success in the Champions League no matter how many times his side win the Premier League.
The 52-year-old has lifted the Premier League four times, while also winning four League Cups and one FA Cup during his remarkably successful seven years in Manchester.
Yet for all his domestic glory with City, it is the Champions League that remains the holy grail.
Asked if his time at City would be judged solely on his European achievements, Guardiola told reporters: “Yes. It doesn’t mean I agree with that but absolutely we will be judged by this competition.”
With City trailing five points behind leaders Arsenal in the Premier League, the Champions League is even more important for Guardiola’s team this season.
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