Josko Gvardiol's RB Leipzig got the better of Erling Haaland when he last faced them but the defender believes Wednesday's reunion will be far tougher.
Leipzig welcome City to the Red Bull Arena on Wednesday for the first game of their two-legged Champions League last-16 clash, the pair having met in the group stages of last season's competition with one win apiece. The Bundesliga outfit have stalled in their league campaign but impressed by finishing second in their group ahead of Shakhtar Donetsk and Celtic.
Key to the success of Marco Rose's side has been Gvardiol, the 21-year-old whose performances for Croatia during the World Cup caught many an eye and ignited speculation over a Premier League move. And the defender will meet a familiar face on Wednesday, having got the better of Norwegian goal machine Haaland during his time at Dortmund last season.
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“We played there [at Dortmund] and won 4-1 but honestly it was this period when [Haaland] wanted to leave so maybe he wasn’t happy,” Gvardiol told The Times. “I believe he is much better than what he did in that game.
"We have seen this season in the Premier League what he has done already, and I’m looking forward to this game because I want to play against top-class players. I believe he is one of them and is going to be even better and better.”
Gvardiol continues to be linked with a move to the Premier League, but on Wednesday turns out for a Leipzig side far from fancied to progress to the quarter-finals. City are widely regarded as favourites to lift the trophy, and Guardiola's side are expected to get the better of their German counterparts over the two legs - but the Croatian believes his side can cause a shock.
“I always like to say in football that everything is possible," the Leipzig man added. "The ball is round and you see at the World Cup that Croatia, a small country with this team, got third place.
"In history, we have won already three medals in the World Cup. Imagine this, a country of 3.8million people. In this game we have to be with positive thoughts and don’t be afraid of anything, believe in ourselves and our quality, and try to win.”
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