Guardiola says Champions League clash with Leipzig is a must-win

Despite winning all four of their first four UEFA Champions League group-stage matches this season, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says irrespective of the fact that his team has qualified for the knockout stage, they must win against RB Leipzig on Tuesday to secure the top spot.

Manchester City and RB Leipzig have both confirmed the top two spots in Group G of the UEFA Champions League, with both teams already qualified for the next round.

However, the group winner is yet to be confirmed, and as such, Tuesday’s match between both teams could determine who the group winner will be.

It is, therefore, no wonder that the Premier League champions are taking the game seriously based on the words of Pep Guardiola, the team manager.

“We have to win or draw. The first step is done for both sides, so congratulations to RB Leipzig to qualify for the next round in February. It is important to finish first. We believe that when we play the last 16, [having] the second leg at home is not decisive but an advantage, and we have to take it.” said Guardiola.

Manchester City won the first leg of the Year counter in Germany with a 3-1 scoreline, and that result has helped the defending champions of the Champions League create a three-point gap between themselves and Tuesday’s visitors.

Manchester City also know that they have everything in their own hands now, with the needed results as straightforward as possible. However, they will need to do better than the 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Etihad Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday.

Manchester City relinquished the top spot in the Premier League to Arsenal, who beat Brentford 1-0 on Saturday just hours after Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw by Liverpool thanks to Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose second-half goal canceled out Erling Haaland’s first-half strike.

Daniel Ademiju Idowu