Published January 30,2025
Subscribe
Manchester City saved themselves from an embarrassing early Champions League exit with three second-half targets to beat Club Brugge 3-1 on Wednesday.
However, it might be a keep of execution for Pep Guardiola’s males as they may face both Real Madrid or Bayern Munich within the play-off spherical.
Despite a primary defeat in 22 video games for Brugge, in addition they sneaked into the subsequent spherical in twenty fourth place and can tackle Atalanta or Borussia Dortmund subsequent.
The Belgian champions have been on the right track to ship City packing earlier than the knockout phases for the primary time since 2012 when Raphael Onyedika fired the guests into the lead simply earlier than half-time.
City wanted all three factors after successful simply two of their opening seven matches within the competitors’s new format and turned it round simply in time.
Mateo Kovacic levelled from the sting of the field earlier than the unlucky Joel Ordonez turned in Josko Gvardiol’s cross.
Substitute Savinho then drilled within the third to ease the nerves of Pep Guardiola, who anxiously prowled the touchline all through and was booked for protesting in the direction of the officers.
The drama on the Etihad on a nervous evening started earlier than the motion even obtained underway as a merchandise stand caught fireplace on the perimeter of the stadium shortly earlier than the groups arrived.
Brugge weren’t daunted by the duty that confronted them in opposition to a diminished model of the English champions and began brightly with Christos Tzolis a relentless menace.
City slowly warmed to their process as Ilkay Gundogan slotted dwelling however was flagged offside from Bernardo Silva’s header.
But Brugge remained a persistent menace on the counter-attack and obtained their reward simply earlier than half-time.
Tzolis was once more the creator because the Greek’s cross was this time swept dwelling by Onyedika.
– Second half present –
Guardiola responded by introducing Savinho for Gundogan on the break in what proved to be an impressed change as City posed much more attacking menace within the second interval.
John Stones headed large an excellent likelihood to equalise simply seconds after the restart.
Kovacic then offered much-needed drive from the City midfield because the Croatian powered ahead and slotted in from the sting of the field to stage on 53 minutes.
But within the 9 minutes between City’s first and second targets, Brugge may have despatched the 2023 champions to an early exit.
Tzolis fired too near Ederson, drilled a shot inches large and was prevented one other clear sight of aim by Gvardiol’s last-ditch intervention with a hat-trick of huge probabilities.
At the opposite finish, it was Brugge who did the exhausting work for City as Gvardiol’s low cross was became his personal web by Ordonez.
Guardiola furiously kicked a water field throughout his celebration.
The City boss’ temper was not helped when Erling Haaland wasted his one enormous likelihood of the night as Simon Mignolet saved a one-on-one and Savinho’s follow-up effort was cleared off the road by Brandon Mechele.
But Guardiola was lastly capable of provide a smile of aid 13 minutes from time when Savinho took down Stones’ cross on his chest and blasted in his first Champions League aim.
Guardiola even embraced his counterpart Nicky Hayen earlier than the match completed as the 2 exchanged a handshake throughout stoppage time.
But the City supervisor will likely be underneath no illusions that his aspect will must be significantly better if they’re to have aspirations of conquering Europe once more within the coming months.
Source: www.anews.com.tr