'Better late than never' — Marco Rose on coming back to draw against Manchester City

Leipzig's manager, Marco Rose, has revealed his half-time team talks that inspired his team to grab an equaliser and consequently earn a draw against Manchester City, saying he told them to start to fight.

Leipzig held Manchester City to a 1-1 draw at the Red Bull Arena on Wednesday night in the first-leg of their Champions League matches. 

Manchester City dominated the first half, both before and after their goal in the 27th minute, scored by Riyad Mahrez.

Nevertheless, Marco Rose's men took the game to their visitors in the second half, and they were rewarded for their efforts in the 70th minute with a goal when Josko Gvardiol equalised from a set piece.

The 46-year-old ex-Dortmund manager was asked about the content of his half-time team talk that propelled his team to a much-improved second-half that saw them grab a draw, and he replied that he told them to start to play and fight.  

He acknowledged Manchester City's superiority in the first-half saying his team were too passive. The second-half was much better, and Rose believes that it is better late than never, praising his team's ability to get back into the game after a slow start. 

"We should start to play and fight. It was a really difficult first half, 26% possession isn't enough,” he said, according to the BBC.

"We were too passive in every situation. They moved the ball and they moved us. We had no power.

"The second half was totally different. Better late than never."

Manchester City and England women's team captain Steph Houghton shared Rose's sentiments about Leipzig's improvement in the second-half, judging the first-half as City's and the second-half as their hosts.

She also criticised City's lack of incisiveness in the half in which they were dominant, pointing out that Janis Blaswich barely had to make a save in the game.  

The 34-year-old centre-back who has over 100 caps for England, further analysed how Rose set his team up for set pieces, praising the delivery and the runs made.

“I think for all of City's possession in the first half, how many times did they really make the keeper make a save?” she asked, per the BBC.

“Especially second half for Leipzig, I think their set-pieces were really, really good in terms of their runners, their delivery. They seemed to create better chances and Ederson made a couple of really good saves.

“Conceding a goal from a set-piece, I'm sure the boys will be very disappointed, but I think all in all, first half was probably City's, second half was probably Leipzig's.”

Manchester City would host Leipzig in the second leg of their tie at the Etihad Stadium on March 14.