Man City boss Guardiola jokes he may play 'nine strikers' in return leg against RB Leipzig

First leg finished 1-1 in Germany as Guardiola concedes City will need to be 'more open' in Champions League last-16 second leg

Josko Gvardiol celebrates with teammates after scoring in the 1-1 Champions League round of 16 first leg draw against Manchester City at Red Bull Arena in Germany on February 22, 2023. Getty

Josko Gvardiol celebrates after scoring to level at 1-1. Getty

Gvardiol celebrates with teammates. Getty

Riyad Mahrez celebrates with Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland after putting City 1-0 ahead. EPA

Riyad Mahrez and teammates celebrate taking the lead. AFP

Riyad Mahrez celebrates after scoring. AP

City players celebrate after taking the lead. AP

Riyad Mahrez celebrates after scoring. AP

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola looks frustrated on the sidelines. EPA

Leipzig's Benjamin Henrichs after a missed chance. Getty

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola joked he could field "nine strikers" against RB Leipzig next month after being held to a 1-1 draw in Germany in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie on Wednesday.

Josko Gvardiol's header cancelled out Riyad Mahrez's opener to leave the tie finely poised ahead of the second leg at the Etihad on March 14.

"I didn't want to come here and lose 4-3. It will have to be more open in Manchester," said Guardiola.

"Maybe in the second leg I will be crazy and decide to play with nine strikers. But I've coached in this country and I analysed Leipzig and I needed this type of control."

Guardiola conceded City "could not compete" with the speed of German teams.

"We don't have the team to compete with them with a lot of transitions, they are better than us and they are faster than us, except Kyle [Walker] and Erling [Haaland].

"The pace they have, we don't have it."

RB Leipzig v Man City ratings

The City manager gathered his team together on the pitch for an impromptu motivational session after the final whistle in an attempt to lift their spirits.

"They had their heads down, I told them 'Why are your heads down, put your heads up," the Spanish manager told the post-match press conference.

"It was a really good game the game you played. If people don't like it, it doesn't matter, you played the game the way it should be played."

Leipzig manager Marco Rose said he was confident ahead of the second leg in Manchester, but admitted "to go to City, we'd rather have a 3-0 advantage to feel better."

"We can take plenty out of the game so that we can not play another first half like we did today."