RB Leipzig cemented their place in the next round of the UEFA Europa League with a 2-1 win over Manchester City as Club Brugge were thumped by Paris Saint Germain in the other group fixture.
Goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Andre Silva had put the hosts ahead before Manchester City pulled one back from a Riyad Mahrez header.
Following the sack of manager, Jesse Marsch, interim manager, Achim Beielorzer made just two changes to his team that lost in the league over the weekend to Union Berlin, bringing back Emile Forsberg and Kevin Kampl into the team.
Having already qualified as Group winners, Pep Guardiola made an overhaul of his team from the victory against Watford to rest major first team players in a match that almost did not matter. Kyle Walker, Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish were the only players to remain from the weekend.
Needing to revenge the 6-3 loss in the reverse fixture, Leipzig almost took the the lead in the 15th minute when a Konrad Laimer cross was intercepted by Nathan Ake. The ball feel back to the Austrian, whose shot from a tight angle was smothered by Zack Steffen, deputizing for Ederson Moraes.
Dominik Szoboszlai gave the hosts a deserved lead in the 24th minute. Laimer setting up the Hungarian through on goal and with John Stones unable to catch up with him, he kept his cool to slot past the on-rushing Steffen.
It could have been two or three for Leipzig, thanks to Steffen, who saved a Forsberg shot from a Szoboszlai cross, before also denying Andre Silva, when he powered a shot from a header across goal from Szoboszlai.
City went close to levelling things up when Kevin De Bruyne played him through on the inside left channel, the England international raced through on goal and under pressure from a Leipzig defender hit a shot that was saved onto the post by Peter Gulasci.
Andre Silva made it two in the 71st minute. It was a giveaway by John Stones, allowing Forsberg to find his way into the box, dummying Ake and sending a cross to Silva in the middle, who slotted into the bottom right corner.
A needed response was given by City five minutes later. Oleksandr Zinchenko found himself in acres of space on the left and sent a cross far into the area. The Leipzig defence didn't see Mahrez arriving at the far lost and the Algerian sent a diving header past Gulasci to cut the deficit.
The task became more uphill when City were reduced to 10 men after Kyle Walker made a silly kick out at Silva from behind and received a straight red card.
Concluding Thoughts
Leipzig needed a response to their dwindling fortunes and did well with the win that sends them into the Europa League. They become the first team to defeat Manchester City in 15 Champions League games.
It was a dead rubber game for Manchester City, who had already not just qualified, but also won the group. They'd have, however, loved to finish the group on a high.
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