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Man City vs RB Leipzig Odds & Prediction – Champions League Group Stage Matchday 1

John Dillon

by John Dillon in Soccer News

Updated Sep 14, 2021 · 6:34 AM PDT

City's Jack Grealish.
Manchester City's Jack Grealish during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Arsenal at Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
  • Last season’s beaten finalist City hosts out-of-form Leipzig on Wednesday at 3:00 pm ET
  • Pep Guardiola’s team has hit 11 goals without reply in its last three EPL fixtures
  • See all the odds best bets for Man City vs RB Leipzig in the Champions League Group Stage Matchday 1

Mega-wealthy Manchester City begins another quest to win the Champions League when it hosts Red Bull Leipzig at the start of Group F on Wednesday.

Funded by Abu Dhabi’s billions, City’s owners have been unable to land the big prize they have craved since their take-over of the club in 2008.

The team came close last season. But despite starting as the favorite, it was beaten 1-0 in the final in Porto last May by English Premier League rival Chelsea.

Man City vs RB Leipzig Odds

Matchup Spread Moneyline Total
Manchester City vs RB Leipzig MAN -1 (-110) | RBL +1 (+240) MAN -320 | RBL +850 | DRAW +450 Ov 2.5 (-186) | Un 2.5 (+152)

Odds as of September 14 at FanDuel

It should, however, get off to a routinely successful start when Bundesliga strugglers Red Bull heads to the Etihad this midweek – with City in impressive domestic form.

This is a tricky group, however – with Paris Saint-Germain lying in wait along with Club Brugge.

Pep Guardiola’s City team – reigning English champions – has won its last three EPL matches while scoring 11 times and conceding no goals.

Currently Fifth in EPL

It has placed the side, moreover, in fifth place in the EPL after it recovered from a surprise 1-0 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur on the opening day of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Red Bull is reeling from a 4-1 defeat at home by Bayern Munich last weekend.

It has lost three times and won just once in the Bundesliga and sits in 12th position.

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Therefore, the oddsmakers at FanDuel rate City as a massive favorite for an opening day win at -320.

Furthermore, the idea that this will be hugely one-sided is illustrated by the price of +850 for a Red Bull victory.

Guardiola will be eager for an imposing start ahead of a tough trip to PSG.

The draw is priced at +450 with kick-off in Manchester at 3:00 pm ET.

Certainly, these odds require a hunt for better value elsewhere ahead of the first meeting between these clubs.

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Coach Guardiola will be eager for an imposing start ahead of a tough trip to PSG on Matchday 2.

So there is a generous Correct Score Prop offer of +800 for a 3-0 win by City. And this looks much more promising.

Man City vs RB Leipzig Statistics

Manchester City
VS
RB Leipzig
3 Wins 1
0 Draws 0
1 Losses 3
11 Goals 5
1 Goals Against 7
5 Yellow Cards 4
0 Red Cards 0
3 Clean Sheets 1

*Statistics from EPL and Bundesliga 2021-22

In its quest to land the biggest club prize of all, City has this summer broken the English transfer record by paying £100 million to land England international playmaker Jack Grealish from Aston Villa.

However, the failure to also land striker Harry Kane from Spurs does not so far seem to have too much of a handicap.

Nine Different Marksmen for City

Overall, City’s 11 goals have been shared among nine players with Spaniard Ferran Torres the leading scorer after netting twice; with one own goal completing the 11-goal EPL tally.

Following the setback against Spurs, there first came a 5-0 hammering at home against newly-promoted Norwich City.

Then, secondly, there was another 5-0 win at home against Arsenal.

It was a much tougher test away at Leicester City last weekend. However, Bernardo Silva’s 62nd-minute goal secured a 1-0 win.

Red Bull’s fortunes have undeniably been in huge contrast to City’s.

Leipzig’s Jesse Marsch formerly coached New York Red Bulls, Montreal Impact and Red Bull Salzburg.

After a second-place finish last season, hopes were high that the new American coach, Jesse Marsch, would continue the good work of Julian Nagelsmann, who departed for Bayern Munich.

With 14 seasons as an MLS player under his belt, Marsch has formerly coached New York Red Bulls, Montreal Impact and Red Bull Salzburg.

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However, Leipzig’s Bundesliga campaign began poorly with a 1-0 defeat by Mainz.

Following that, there was a 4-0 win at home against Stuttgart.

But there have subsequently been two straight defeats – with a 1-0 loss at current leaders Wolfsburg preceding the thrashing by Bayern Munich.

There was, furthermore, a 4-0 win against Bundesliga.2 side Sandhausen in the DFB-Pokal cup.

It is important to realize, however, that Red Bull lost two key defenders in the summer.

Red Bull Lost Two Key Players

French international Dayot Upemecano headed to Bayern Munich. Meanwhile, Liverpool snapped up fellow Frenchman Ibrahima Konate.

City is heading into the group stage for the 11th consecutive season. It has not failed to reach the knockout stage since 2012-13.

It has won 13 and drawn four of its last 17 group stage fixtures – last losing against Lyon in September 2018.

Meanwhile, Leipzig exited at the last 16 stage last season after defeat against Liverpool.

Additionally, Leipzig has lost on three of its last four road trips in the UCL.

One of those defeats was a 5-0 thrashing in Manchester by City’s rivals United in Leipzig’s biggest European defeat.

In conclusion, it seems things won’t be much different on this trip to English football’s powerhouse northern city – with a comfortable 3-0 win for City a good prospect.

Pick: Man City to Win 3-0 (+800)

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