MANCHESTER, United Kingdom (AFP) - Manchester City powered into the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday (March 12) as Sergio Aguero's double paved the way for a 7-0 rout of hapless Schalke in the last 16 second leg.
City had snatched two late goals to win the first leg 3-2 and they made the most of that fightback with a ruthless demolition job at the Etihad Stadium to clinch a 10-2 aggregate victory.
Aguero's penalty opened the scoring at and the Argentine forward netted again before Leroy Sane, who also contributed three assists, struck against his former club.
Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden and Gabriel Jesus all scored after the interval to complete City's biggest home win in the Champions League.
Pep Guardiola's side, who lifted the League Cup in February, remain on course for an unprecedented quadruple, sitting one point ahead of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League before this weekend's FA Cup quarter-final at Swansea.
This emphatic victory was the joint-biggest ever Champions League knockout stage win but won't linger long in the memory given Schalke's total lack of resistence. However it could be a good omen as City beat Schalke en route to winning their only European trophy in the 1970 Cup Winners' Cup.
Twice a Champions League winner as Barcelona boss, Guardiola claimed this week that City are "teenagers" in the competition compared to the more established European powers.
They have never won the Champions League, with their best performance a semi-final appearance in 2016 under Guardiola's predecessor Manuel Pellegrini.
But City are one of the favourites to claim the trophy after Real Madrid and Paris Saint Germain crashed out and, on this evidence, Guardiola's players are up for the challenge of showing they are more mature than he believes.
It seems only winning Europe's elite club prize can make City fans fall in the love with the tournament.
Once again they loudly jeered the Champions League anthem, this time in frustration at UEFA's recent investigation into the club over allegations of financial misconduct.
Guardiola had claimed it would be a "dangerous situation" to underestimate Schalke, but the struggling Bundesliga team were never a realistic candidate to spring a surprise.
FLOODGATES OPENED
Sprinting onto Kyle Walker's pass, Sterling crossed for Aguero to shoot against a post in the opening moments.
Guardiola's men monopolised possession and their territorial dominance finally paid off in the 35th minute.
Ilkay Gundogan clipped a pass into the Schalke penalty area and Jeffrey Bruma bundled over Bernardo, with the spot-kick awarded after being checked by VAR.
Aguero stepped up to nonchalantly chip the penalty down the middle as Ralf Fahrmann dived the wrong way.
Aguero has now scored in four successive Champions League games for the first time.
That opened the floodgates as Aguero quickly put the result beyond doubt three minutes later.
Sterling was the provider as he raced onto Gundogan's pass and pulled the ball back to Aguero, who squeezed his shot past Fahrmann from a tight angle for his 27th goal of the season.
An interminable VAR delay of several minutes while Sterling was confirmed as onside drew more boos from City fans.
But they were celebrating again in the 42nd minute.
This time it was Sane who ripped open the shambolic Schalke defence, the German winger sent clear on goal by Oleksandr Zinchenko before driving a clinical strike into the far corner.
City were streets ahead of Schalke in every phase of the game and Sterling maintained his sublime form with a cool finish from Sane's majestic pass in the 56th minute.
Bernardo made it five in the 71st minute, netting with a first-time shot from Sane's pass.
There was still time for Foden to bag his first Champions League goal as the young midfielder took Sane's pass and slotted home in the 78th minute.
Jesus beat Fahrmann's weak attempted save with six minutes left to complete City's perfect evening.
Manchester United announced on Friday that midfielder Marouane Fellaini has left the club to join China's Shandong Luneng on a permanent transfer. The Belgium international arrived at Old Trafford from Everton in August 2013 and went on to make 177 appearances throughout five-and-a-half seasons at United, scoring 22 goals.
Marouane Fellaini leaves Man Utd for China's Shandong
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola looks on at Etihad Stadium in Manchester January 26, 2019. — Action Images pic via Reuters. LONDON Feb 15 — Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola predicts his side will "suffer" against fourth-tier Newport County in their FA Cup fifth round match tomorrow but has urged his players to adapt to a battered playing surface at Rodney Parade.
Guardiola expects Man City to suffer in tricky trip to Newport
Football: Noh Rahman embracing learning curve as Home United interim coach. Home United's new interim coach Noh Rahman guided the Protectors to a polished 3-0 win over Geylang International, but
Football: Noh Rahman embracing learning curve as Home United
Bournemouth (United Kingdom) (AFP) - Footballer Emiliano Sala's family grieved on Friday after British authorities formally identified his body as the one recovered from the submerged wreckage of a plane that went down in the Channel more than two weeks ago.
Body in Channel wreckage identified as footballer Sala - CNA
This season, Lionel Messi seems to be on a mission to right all the wrongs from last season and silence his detractors and if he is to up the ante from his performance this year, it is hard to see
Man on a mission: Lionel Messi's genius reaches new levels at
Football: Reds can be 'Invincibles' this season, says Unai Emery Unai Emery believes the development they have shown from flirting with Europe to top-four contenders to current league front
Liverpool v Arsenal: Reds can be Invincible says Unai Emery
Young Rams Unfazed By Rain As They Prep For Saints Sequel. January 18, 2019 at 10:50 am. Filed Under: LA Rams, Rams. Their 32-year-old head coach Sean McVay,
Jayhawks Unfazed By Streak, National Ranking | News, Sports
Trailblazing France coach Corinne Diacre said women in football face a constant struggle for acceptance and are often regarded as "objects" Women in football face daily battle, says France
Women in football face daily battle, says France coach
en.rfi.fr/wire/20181218-women-football-face-daily-battle-says-france-coach
Women in football face daily battle, says France coach France coach Corinne Diacre is hoping to guide Les Bleues to the women's World Cup title next year on home soil AFP. Trailblazing France
'Women in football face daily battle' | The Express Tribune
Google bucks soaring smartphone prices with new Pixel Macron camp seeks reset after EU campaign 'false start' Naples Mayor blames gangster show Gomorrah for outbreaks of youth violence in
News From June 2017 - Business Directory - The Internet Pages
FAS technical director hopeful Sigurdur Ragnar Eyjolfsson says Iceland can be model for Singapore With a population of less than 350,000, Iceland's meteoric rise in football has drawn questions here as to why Singapore cannot follow suit, with both nations hemmed in by limited human resources.
Football: New FAS technical director Joseph Palatsides
Raheem Sterling's hat-trick in Manchester City's 3-1 win over Watford lifted the champions four points clear at the top of the Premier League after Tottenham Hotspur's challenge faltered again with a 2-1 loss at Southampton on Saturday.
Man City surge clear through Sterling as Spurs suffer
Real Madrid, Atletico close in on Barcelona | football
Crowds flock to Argentine village to pay tribute to footballer Sala said Mayor Julio Muller in an emotional tribute. Sala had played for Nantes, becoming one of the top strikers in France
Crowds flock to Argentine village to pay tribute to
0 comments:
Post a Comment