What changed
RB Leipzig defender Maxime Esteve is hoping to make his Champions League debut against Manchester City on 3 November 2026.
The fixture would reunite him with Erling Haaland, and with an awkward piece of his own history. Esteve scored two own goals at City’s Etihad Stadium last year, though he jokes that his new Leipzig teammates may not know about them.
Why it matters
This is more than a glamorous reunion for Esteve. It is a chance to walk back into the same stadium carrying a memory most defenders would happily leave behind.
His selection is not confirmed, and nobody yet knows whether the past will sharpen his focus or weigh on him. But if he plays, the story will be unusually personal: a hoped-for first Champions League appearance, a meeting with Haaland, and a difficult Etihad night waiting in the background.
Comments
No comments yet.