Western United recently confirmed signing with team vice-captain Josh Ruston to the 2023/24 season, where Last season was injured and Ruston played just three games in one season. He has improved a lot on the right side of the team since his return this season, so his contract extension now seems well worthwhile.
The good news for the Wellington Phoenix is that the main striker Sudirio is expected to return this game, he missed the last round of matches due to swollen ankles, but he came to Melbourne with the team and may play this game. Left-back Thornton has also recovered from a knee injury and is expected to make his debut.
The Wellington Phoenix will rotate in this game, and with the game just finished last Friday and the main force exhausted, they will send a young squad against Western United and will try some players who did not have much playing time at the beginning of the season.
The Wellington Phoenix have reached the fab round of 16 for the past six seasons, but have only managed to qualify once.
The Wellington Phoenix lost to Western Sydney Wanderers on Friday, eating their first defeat in 13 rounds of the season.
Score Prediction: Western United 2-1 Wellington Phoenix
Leipzig's list of injured players is gradually lengthening, and they will have up to 7 players absent at the same time! The main scorer Polsen (4 goals and 1 assist in 14 games) and the three veteran injuries Olmer (1 assist in 6 games), Halstenberg and Saraki all continued to recuperate. At the same time, the two previously infected players Orban (1 assist in 14 games) and Novoa (1 goal in 3 games) have returned to training in the shadows but have also been doubtful, while the main midfielder Haidara (2 goals in 16 games) has become suspicious because of muscle soreness!
Red Bull Leipzig, after losing three straight defeats to Berlin United in the last round, chose to part ways with U.S. coach Jesse Mahi and was sadly dismissed after four months in charge. Mahi led the team to play 23 games in all competitions after coaching Leipzig, but only achieved a dismal record of 9 wins, 4 draws and 10 losses, of which 5 wins, 3 draws and 6 losses in the league 14 rounds were only ranked 11th. After Mahi's dismissal, the current interim manager is his former assistant coach, Bayer Lozel.
Manchester City have won 13 wins and 1 draw in the previous 14 German matches! They won all nine games against Germany in their last nine games, scoring 28 goals and conceding only nine, most recently killing Leipzig 6-3 at home in the first leg. At the same time, they have won all four away to German teams in the past four times, and the opponents are different, namely 2-1 away to Hoffenheim, 3-2 away to Schalke, 2-0 away to Borussia Moncheng and 2-1 to Borussia Dortmund.
Manchester City have locked up the first place in the group in the early round, and the final battle is likely to undergo a large-scale rotation. They have provisionally recruited 19-year-old midfielder Corey Palmer from the youth team, 18-year-old U23 captain Eagan Riley, 18-year-old full-back Wilson Esplanade, 17-year-old back Lavia and 19-year-old forward Akdi to the roster, and the youngsters may be given the opportunity to play.
Leipzig's first 2 Champions League group stage matches have not been defeated at home, 1 draw and 2 losses, they have accumulated a must-win record of 5 wins and 1 draw in 6 home games before 3 games, and the home combat effectiveness has declined greatly. If they can't win at the last home, it will be the first time in their history that they have no home win in the european group stage.
Leipzig are currently vying for a Europa League qualification and they are currently beating Brugge to third with goal difference. In this game, Bruges is away to Paris, as long as Bruges lose, Leipzig's side can also lock in the third place in the group.
Guardiola made it clear before the match that de Bruyne, the core of the midfield, would start the game. De Bruyne had previously missed five recent games in all competitions because of the new crown, and he had to use insignificant games to find status after turning dark, and he had started 3 games in the previous 5 rounds of the Champions League and contributed 1 assist.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola confirmed that the main striker of this game, Gabriel Jesus, will miss this European game due to injury. Jesus has been the main striker in the league this season, scoring 2 goals and 6 assists in 13 games, but he has played 4 games off the bench in the first 5 rounds of European games, although contributing 3 goals and 1 assist, but it is not a core absence.
Score Prediction: RB Leipzig 1:2 Manchester City
