Europa League Match Analysis: Manchester City vs. Red Bull Salzburg – City cruise into next round (Part 1)
Manchester City were looking to take on Red Bull Salzburg at home for a scheduled match in the Europa League. Prior to the match, City were made aware of the fact that a win on the night would secure a qualification for them into the next round, while on
the other hand Salzburg would also have to secure a win on the night, if they were to stand any chance of qualifying into the knock out stages of the competition.
However, there was some trouble in the City camp prior to the game. Adam Johnson, who had been something or a revelation at the club ever since his arrival, had expressed to the media that he had started to grow frustrated with his role at the club. The
player was not happy with spending so much time on the bench and as a result was caught stating that he would potentially contemplate a move away from the club if the opportunity was to arise.
On the other hand, another City player who has been in the lime light for all the wrong reasons, Mario Balotelli was also in the headlines recently as the player had done very little to secure his future at the club. He was caught stating that what he knew
for a fact was that he was a City player till the end of the season, but whatever was to happen after that was oblivious to him.
Nonetheless, Roberto Mancini went ahead and included both these players in the starting line-up and the teams that were to take the field were as follows:
Man City: Given, Boateng, Toure, Lescott, Zabaleta, Wright-Phillips, Vieira, Milner, Adam Johnson, Balotelli, Jo
Red Bull Salzburg: Tremmel, Schiemer, Sekagya, Afolabi, Hinteregger, Mendes Da Silva, Hierlander, Leitgeb, Cziommer, Jantscher, Boghossian.
Despite the weather in Manchester being decidedly cold, there were no delays as the players took to the field in the snowy weather. However, despite the match being Europa League match, the Eastlands were not quite as packed as they were expected to be.
The fans that were present were creating enough noise to chant their teams on and once the referee blew the whistle, the match was finally underway.
City kicked off the game and since the very first minute, the home side was looking to dominate the game.
City were making tremendous surging runs forward and the one player who was involved in almost every almost attack early on was Balotelli.
Continued in part 2
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