The teams return to Budapest, Hungary, where Manchester City carved out a 2-0 lead over Borussia Monchengladbach in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League, round of 16 clash three weeks ago thanks to goals from Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus. (More Football News)
The English Premier League leaders are looking to reach the quarterfinals for the fourth straight season under Pep Guardiola, though they didn't go beyond that stage and have never got to the final. City rested key players such as Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling against Fulham at the weekend and have won 23 of their last 24 games in all competitions.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, Monchengladbach are on a six-game losing run and, if eliminated, are unlikely to return to the Champions League next season having dropped to 10th place in the Bundesliga. The match is in Budapest again because of coronavirus travel restrictions.
Head-to-head: Gladbach's last visit to City ended in a 4-0 loss, their joint-heaviest away defeat in the competition. In fact, City are unbeaten in five meetings with the German outfit and have scored at least twice in each of their four victories.
Pep Guardiola's first Champions League game in charge was a 4-0 home win over Gladbach, with City having won more games (16) and scored more goals (59) in home matches than any other English side in the competition in that time.
Advertisement
Gladbach enjoyed a superb group stage but, since consecutive 6-0 and 4-0 wins over Shakhtar Donetsk, they have lost three games in a row and failed to score in their previous two. It is hard to look beyond a comfortable City victory.
Key Player: Sergio Aguero will hope for another start, and should the Argentinian score, he will reach 20 goals in 29 Champions League games under Guardiola. That would draw him level with Thomas Muller and leave him behind only Lionel Messi (43) for the most goals scored in the competition under the former Barcelona boss.
Check match and telecast details here:
Match: Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach, UEFA Champions League 2020-21, Round of 16, second leg match.
Date: March 17 (Wednesday), 2021
Time: 01:30 AM IST
Venue: Puskas Arena, Budapest, Hungary
TV Channels: Sony Ten 1/HD (In Indian sub-continent)
Live Stream: SonyLiv (Indian sub-continent)
Likely XIs
Manchester City: Ederson; Walker, Dias, Stones, Zinchenko; Fernandinho, Gundogan, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Jesus, Sterling.
Borussia Monchengladbach: Sommer; Lainer, Ginter, Elvedi, Wendt; Neuhaus, Zakaria; Hofmann, Stindl, Thuram; Plea.
