City will take a commanding Champions League quarter-final advantage to the Allianz Arena next week after a clinical attacking display ensured a 3-0 win against Bayern Munich on an incredible night at the Etihad....CONTINUE READING
Rodrigo scored the opener on 27 minutes in front of an expectant, excited 52,257 Etihad crowd – and what an effort it was.
Collecting the ball from a pinpoint Bernardo Silva pass from the right, Rodrigo swivelled past Jamal Musiala and sent a rocket left-foot drive past the helpless Yann Sommer in the Bayern goal.
Bernardo doubled the advantage with a thumping header on 69 minutes, powerfully meeting Erling Haaland’s cross from the left.
Haaland made it three with a right-foot effort on 76 minutes, his 45th of the season ensuring he’s now scored the most goals in all competitions by a player at a Premier League club.
We now head to the Allianz Arena next Wednesday aiming to make it through to a third consecutive semi-final in the elite European competition.
WHAT HAPPENED
City headed into this tie with Bayern attempting to secure a quarter-final first leg lead for the third successive season.
The game began with driving rain cutting across the Etihad but the hosts warmed up the crowd with a dominant first half display.
Our first chance fell to Erling Haaland on five minutes who fired over the bar from just inside the box following a precise throughball by Kevin De Bruyne.
Skipper Ilkay Gundogan went close two minutes later when he headed just too high following lovely build-up play involving the recalled Bernardo Silva and De Bruyne down the right, the Belgian captain firing in the cross that was eventually nudged over.
There was a lucky escape for Bayern goalkeeper Yann Sommer on 14 minutes as he managed to clear the ball on his goalline under the severest of pressure from the onrushing Haaland, searching for his 45th goal of the 2022/23 campaign.
Haaland was on the hunt, again, on 22 minutes in what was a brilliant move.
Gundogan expertly played in Jack Grealish, who in turn laid the ball off to hungry Haaland, the striker not quite catching his shot as he fired straight at Sommer.
City has to defend strongly on 26 minutes as Ruben Dias, a commanding presence in the past few weeks, brilliantly blocked a goalbound effort by Jamal Musiala.
Rodrigo sent the Etihad into ecstasy moments later with a truly wonderful 25-yard left foot strike which gave Sommer absolutely no chance.
At this point the home fans were jumping and skipper Gundogan almost cranked up the noise another notch as he went close to doubling our lead. Sommer saved with his legs from the German’s close-range effort in the box on 34 minutes.
Former City man, Leroy Sane, went close with a fizzing blast in first half injury time but City went in at the break ahead.
Bayern came out for the second half with more verve and energy as they looked to get back into the tie.
Sane flew forward on 49 minutes and looked in on goal but Ederson, relatively untroubled in the opening period, produced a fine stop to deny the forward.
It was real pinball in the Bayern box on 50 minutes as Grealish pounced on a wayward backpass, the ball eventually finding Haaland, who had a fierce effort blocked.
Ederson again had to be at is athletic best on 54 minutes as he dove to his right to keep out a left foot drive by the dangerous Sane.
Nathan Ake brought about a fine stop by Sommer on 57 minutes as he fired in a low goalbound shot following a venture forward down the left channel while moments later the Bayern keeper tipped over a brilliant flicked shot on the turn by Dias.
The Etihad erupted once again on 69 minutes, Bernado powerfully heading home Haaland’s cross from the left, the chance initially created by the industry of Grealish to pickpocket Dayot Upamecano.
Substitute Julian Alvarez could have made it 3-0 on 75 minutes but for another heroic save by Sommer.
It was 3-0 a minute later as that man Haaland produced a rare right-foot finish to meet a header across to him by John Stones.
City never stopped pushing in the closing stages, Alvarez seeing a driven shot fly just too wide and goal hero Rodrigo seeing a brilliant header tipped over.
But Pep Guardiola will have been more than happy to settle for a solid 3-0 advantage going into next week’s second leg.
ANOTHER RECORD BROKEN
Erling Haaland has broken yet another goalscoring record.
Haaland has now scored the most goals in all competitions by a player at a Premier League club – 45 so far across 2022/23.
He went past Mohamed Salah and Ruud van Nistelrooy, who have 44, with the third in the 3-0 win over Bayern Munich.
Salah achieved his milestone in 2017/18 while van Nistelrooy hit the same mark in 2002/03.
Both players achieved the feat in 52 appearances while Haaland has managed to create his milestone in just 39.
TEAM NEWS
CITY XI: Ederson, Stones, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Rodrigo, De Bruyne (Alvarez 68′), Gundogan (c), Bernardo, Grealish, Haaland
Unused subs: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Walker, Phillips, Laporte, Gomez, Mahrez, Perrone, Palmer, Lewis
Bayern XI: Sommer, Pavard, Upamecano, De Light, Davies, Goretzka, Kimmich (c), Coman, Musiala (Mane 69′), Sane, Gnabry
Unused subs: Ulreich, Schenk, Sarr, Cancelo, Blind, Muler, Gravenberch, Tel, Mazraoui, Stanisic
GUARDIOLA REACTION
“We scored a lot of goals in this competition in many, many games.
“It was not comfortable at all. Emotionally I am destroyed – I have [aged] 10 more years today. It was such a demanding game.
“Now we have to relax, take a day off, prepare for Leicester and after we travel.
“I know what we have to do there, and we have to perform really well.
“It was an incredible result but we have to do our game with a huge, huge personality because they are a top team.
“We are going there to score the goals and to try to win the game. To do that will be so difficult.”
RODRI REACTION
“It’s a great result for us.
“But not just the result. The fact that the team played, the effort we all made.
“It’s quite remarkable that right now, the intensity, the desire we have to go to every battle we do and for me, the key today was the defensive side.
“I think we were great and we understood perfectly how we can punish them.
“We don’t think it’s done. Of course, we know where we’re going, we know the team they are, it is a good result and we are happy because of the performance, but we don’t think much about that.
“We are facing Leicester in the Premier League and when we face them back in their home, we’re going to expect another final and I think we have to try to win the game.”
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: RODRIGO
Rodrigo not only scored in the impressive 3-0 win over Bayern, he also put in a superb performance in the middle ground.
The anchor man, a lynchpin who supported the backline alongside John Stones in the inverted full-back position, was at his supreme best throughout on a magical night at the Etihad.
WHAT IT MEANS
City head to the Allianz Arena with a 3-0 lead as we aim to progress to the Champions League semi-final.
Our second leg takes place on Wednesday 18 April with a 20:00 (UK) kick-off and it promises to be a real cracker.
Real Madrid or Chelsea await the winners of our tie in the last four.
Fixture
WHAT’S NEXT
We’re back in Premier League action this weekend as we face Leicester City.
It’s another home game for Pep Guardiola’s men as we take on the Foxes on Saturday 15 April, with a 17:30 (UK) kick-off for Sky Sports coverage.
We’re second in the top-flight, six points behind leaders Arsenal but with a game in hand.
It will be the first game in charge of new boss Dean Smith, who was appointed manager on Tuesday to replace Brendan Rodgers.
