Key moment: For twenty minutes Bayern pounded on the door looking for the equalizer. But a clumsy loss of the ball by Upamecano and a brilliant idea by Haaland decided the game. Silva headed in the reassuring 2-0 on a pass from the Norwegian.
Man of the Match: He played an anonymous game until he was all-deciding again. Erling Haaland again provided the show with a goal and assist. Is the double confrontation with Bayern Munich already in a decisive fold?
Frustrated De Bruyne: Kevin De Bruyne’s game was over after 68 minutes. The Red Devil slipped and grabbed his knee. Then he was substituted, but not for an injury. It was a “tactical change”.
An evening of firsts in Manchester.
For the first time, City and Bayern faced each other in the knockout phase of the Champions League. For the first time Pep Guardiola had to measure himself against his previous employer.
And Rodri also wanted to be part of the club. With his first CL goal, he put the home team on roses after a high-quality start. The Spaniard couldn’t hit much nicer: his curl with the left fit perfectly in the square.
The break brought reflection to Bayern, which grabbed City by the throat for twenty minutes. Until Upamecano’s bumbling put Erling Haaland in the spotlight. The phenomenon ended an anonymous match with a nice marker ball, good for Silva’s 2-0.
Not for the first time: Erling Haaland was then in charge himself. The Norwegian decided the match with his 45th (!) goal of the season. He was allowed to triumph – for the first time in his career – against the German record champion.
Only one downer in Manchester: the untimely substitution of Kevin De Bruyne, who expressed his displeasure with his Spanish choice lord.
Although with a swirling City, which has Bayern in a hold for the second leg, that will not stand in the way of a sweet semi-final dream tonight.
