RB Leipzig in the Champions League: Haaland and Manchester City have the better end for themselves

What does all this have to do with RB Leipzig's Champions League game against Manchester City, which ended with a 3-2 win for the English Premier League club on Wednesday evening? Well, this: To be on the safe side, the Leipzig fan association felt compelled to state in writing shortly before the game that the City fans' gigantic plastic bananas had "no discriminatory or provocative meaning." They are just an old, ironic symbol of the club's supporters. One that is currently being increasingly unpacked by fans in the wake of the debate about the violations of the Premier League's financial regulations - which City denies.

Anyone who saw the passing security with which City acted in the first fifteen minutes had to get the impression that the money was not only spent massively, but also carefully. It was a phase in which Leipzig wasn't even allowed to smell the ball. City only exuded real danger once: when Enzo Fernández passed to Rayan Cherki and he finished in the penalty area. But then Leipzig worked its way into the game – and turned to Antonio Nusa.

Nothing symbolized this more than a scene from the 15th minute, when Leipzig fought their way from the right corner flag of the half defended by City towards the corner of the penalty area. Nusa took over there. The Norwegian crossed the line, shot at goal and almost said “Bingo!” called because goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma showed himself to be a butterfinger goalkeeper. The Italian was lucky that the ball flew over the crossbar. The scene filled the Leipzig team with the courage that coach Martín Demichelis had previously demanded. By the time City were able to make it 1-0 (37th), RB had given the English guests a real scare a few times - thanks to the strong David Raum and Christoph Baumgartner.

RB defender Castello Lukeba put O’Reilly’s cross from the baseline into his own goal

City's opening goal was reminiscent of the slapstick films in which banana peels were used. Leipzig's aging defense chief Willi Orban and Ridle Baku let Nico O'Reilly go - and RB defender Castello Lukeba put his cross from the baseline into his own goal.

After the break, Leipzig redoubled its attacking efforts, setting the audience on fire until then. Donnarumma fished a wonderful Baumgartner shot from the left corner; but then he made a shamefully absurd mistake. Ridle Baku entered the penalty area on the right side and Donnarumma opened up the short corner so provocatively that Leipzig's right-back had almost no other option than to shoot low into the goal to make it 1-1.

Further chances followed for Leipzig - first from Ezechiel Banzuzi, then again from Baku - then a reply from Erling Haaland, who was otherwise largely unregistered, who tested RB goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoort. And finally, City took the lead again because of a defensive mistake by Leipzig: Baku let Ilie Ndiaye cross, Enzo Fernández stole away behind Lukeba and headed in unchallenged (58th). The goal to make it 2-1 caused the plastic bananas to dance in the City fan block. However: not for long. Because Nusa crowned his excellent performance with a goal from 14 meters to make it 2-2. That paved the way for an attractive, varied final phase - with the better end for City and Haaland.

Because when Leipzig coach Martín Demichelis replaced the exhausted Baumgartner, Nusa and Rômulo, the greater calmness of the English team came into play. In the 78th minute, Haaland made the final score 3-2, after an assist from Elliot Anderson, he slipped on the seat of Orban's back to score his 14th goal of the season. This time, however, it was substitute Christopher Nkunku who made a mistake defensively; he let Anderson go. David Raum spectacularly hit the crossbar with a direct free kick (81'); Cherki (84th) and Haaland (90th) also hit the woodwork. This means that City is firmly in the top group of the Champions League table - while Leipzig is languishing in the bottom of the table with just three points out of four points.