Manchester City are in pole position to reach the Champions League last four after they beat Bayern Munich 3-0 in the quarter-final first leg tonight at the Etihad.
Pep Guardiola’s side started in fine form, dominating possession and keeping Bayern pinned back in their own half. Man City almost took the lead on 20 minutes after a neat team move resulted in Erling Haaland finding himself all alone 14 yards from goal, although the prolific striker surprisingly fired straight at Bayern ‘keeper Yann Sommer.
Bayern began to get a foothold in the game after that, and it took a brilliant block from Ruben Dias to stop Jamal Musiala’s powerful strike from opening the scoring.
On 27 minutes City would score the opener and it came via a world-class finish from a world-class footballer. The unflappable Rodri spun away from Musiala in the centre of the park before superbly arcing a left-footed strike around Joshua Kimmich and into the top corner from 25 yards out.
Swiss goalkeeper Sommer then had to produce a sensational reflex stop with his feet to stop IIkay Gundogan from making it two for the reigning Premier League champions.
Bayern emerged a different side after the break with former City winger Leroy Sane forcing Ederson into three decent saves within ten minutes of the restart.
It was turning out to be a busy night for goalkeepers with Sommer then asked to make a quick-fire couple of saves from City defenders Nathan Ake and Dias.
On 70 minutes City scored a crucial second when Grealish pounced on some sloppy defensive work from Dayot Upamecano, played in Haaland before the 22-year-old attacker floated a cross to the back post where the influential Bernardo Silva powered home a header.
Five minutes later and City had one foot in the semi-final when Haaland fired a back post volley past Sommer after John Stones had risen highest to head back across goal.
Speaking afterwards Pep Guardiola admitted tonight’s victory was an ‘incredible result’ for his impressive side.
“It really was a good Champions League game, and top teams. During 55, 60 minutes it was a tight game,” Guardiola told BBC Sport.
“We found an incredible goal from Rodri but we could not control the pockets, with Musiala and Gnabry.
”The first five, 10, 15 minutes of the second half they were better, they had chances. But after, we adjust something and in the last parts of the game we were better.
“It’s an incredible result, but I know what it means to go to Munich and we have to do something new to not suffer so much the quality they have and we will try and do it.”
