Christopher Nkunku a doubt for RB Leipzig's Champions League clash with Manchester City

RB Leipzig star Christopher Nkunku is a doubt for the club's Champions League last-16 second leg clash with Manchester City.

France international Nkunku, 25, recently made his return after three months out but limped out of Friday's defeat to Borussia Dortmund owing to a thigh issue.

Having just returned from three months out, Leipzig boss Marco Rose will be sweating over the fitness of Nkunku ahead of the tie at the Etihad next week.

With Nkunku having torn his knee ligaments, Leipzig have had to restructure their forward line for the last month or so.

He was set to play a crucial role for France at the World Cup, though injury prevented his involvement in the squad on the eve of the tournament. Didier Deschamps' side ended up making the final, losing to Argentina on penalties after an exhilarating 3-3 draw.

Rose, speaking to the media after the defeat, admitted that he had perhaps made a mistake not withdrawing the Frenchman earlier.

'In hindsight, I think I should have done better and taken him out earlier,' Rose remarked. 'Now we must to face the consequences.'

Leipzig and City are level-pegging after the first leg, following Josko Gvardiol's cancelling out of Riyad Mahrez's first-half strike.

'[Nkunku] picked up a minor thigh strain in Dortmund and will be sidelined for the time being,' the club tweeted.

It had been hoped that the Frenchman would be back for the City tie, particularly considering his record against Pep Guardiola's side.

Despite being on the wrong end of a 6-3 loss in 2021, just months after City had been defeated in the final, Nkunku impressed by scoring all three of the visitors' goals.

Guardiola has been on the record in his praising of the Frenchman in the past, with the Catalan as recently as last month labelling him world class.

Is Nkunku world class? he was asked.

'Absolutely. Hopefully, he can come back from a tough injury,' he responded.

'It was a pity that he lost the World Cup. We saw from him last season at home, yeah top class player.

'Hopefully he come back. Unfortunately he can not be there hopefully he comeback in Manchester.

'Always I like to play [against] the best players in the top sides. What I hear he is really close to coming back.'

Nkunku is set to join Chelsea in the summer having agreed terms.