RB Leipzig vs Manchester City: Projected lineups for the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League match

RB Leipzig host Manchester City in a Champions League meeting that pits a team coming off a heavy defeat against one that has shown it can score in bunches.

RB Leipzig were beaten 4-1 by Real Madrid on October 21, a result that followed a tighter 1-0 win over PSV on October 13. The two results show a team capable of grinding out a narrow victory but also exposed against top-level opposition. This game gives them a chance to prove the Madrid loss was an outlier rather than a trend.

Manchester City arrive in much better form, having beaten AEK Athens 5-1 on October 20 after a 4-2 loss to PSG on October 14. The win over AEK showed their attack can be ruthless when chances come, even after a defensive letdown against PSG days earlier. A result in Leipzig would keep City firmly in the hunt in this Champions League campaign.

Martín Demichelis sets Leipzig up in a 4-2-3-1 with Maarten Vandevoordt in goal behind a back four of Ridle Baku, Willi Orbán, Castello Lukeba and David Raum. Ezechiel Banzuzi and Rômulo sit in central midfield, with Christoph Baumgartner, Brajan Gruda and Antonio Nusa supporting Christopher Nkunku up front. There are no listed absences, so Demichelis has his preferred group available to try to bounce back from the loss to Real Madrid.

RB Leipzig projected starting XI (4-2-3-1): Maarten Vandevoordt, Ridle Baku, Willi Orbán, Castello Lukeba, David Raum, Christoph Baumgartner, Christopher Nkunku, Ezechiel Banzuzi, Brajan Gruda, Rômulo, Antonio Nusa. Coach: Martín Demichelis.

Enzo Maresca also lines Manchester City up in a 4-2-3-1, with Gianluigi Donnarumma behind a defense of Abdukodir Khusanov, Rúben Dias, Marc Guéhi and Nico O’Reilly. Enzo Fernández and Elliot Anderson anchor midfield, while Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki and Jérémy Doku work around Erling Haaland in attack. City have no absences listed, giving Maresca a full-strength attacking unit to carry the momentum from their win over AEK Athens into this trip to Leipzig.

Manchester City projected starting XI (4-2-3-1): Gianluigi Donnarumma, Abdukodir Khusanov, Rúben Dias, Marc Guéhi, Nico O’Reilly, Elliot Anderson, Rayan Cherki, Enzo Fernández, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland, Jérémy Doku. Coach: Enzo Maresca.