City lose the services of an important player in the round of 16 in the European Champions
Germany's Leipzig booked its ticket to the European League play-off "Europa League" with a 2-1 victory over its guest, Manchester City, the English guarantor, to qualify for the knockout rounds of the European Football Championship, accompanied by French Paris Saint-Germain, who won 4-1 at its guest Club Brugge, today in The sixth and final round of the first group competitions.
City received bad news by losing the services of its prominent defender Karl Walker due to the expulsion, to miss the first leg of the round of 16.
After City secured the top of the group in the previous round by defeating Saint-Germain, who accompanied them to the second round in the runners-up, the matter was limited to the identity of the team that will qualify for the Europa League playoff between Leipzig and Bruges.
The German team raised its score to 7 points in third place, in front of Brugge (4), behind Saint-Germain (11) and City (12).
In contrast to the previous system, which qualifies the third-placed in the Champions League groups directly to the second round of the Europa League, the clubs are playing, as of this season, a playoff against the teams that occupy the runner-up in their groups in the European League, to complete the contract for the qualifiers to the 16th round.
In front of empty stands due to restrictions related to the Corona virus pandemic, Leipzig achieved its second victory in the group stage this season, with the goals of Hungarian Dominic Soboslai (24) and Portugal's Andre Silva (71), while Algerian Riyad Mahrez scored the guests' goal (76).
City defender Kyle Walker was sent off in the 83rd minute with a direct red card for a foul on Silva, the last striker, to miss the first leg of the 16th round.
At the Parc des Princes, Kylian Mbappe (2 and 7) and Argentina's Lionel Messi (38 and 76 from a penalty kick) scored a double for Saint Germain, while Mats Reets scored the visitors' goal (68).
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