Couple Lucas Michel
Publié here à 23:40, Mis à jour here à 23:49
Kevin De Bruyne enjoyed his return to C1, when Erling Haaland failed in Copenhagen. Action Images via Reuters / MATTHEW CHILDS / AFP / JONATHAN NACKSTRAND
The great performances of De Bruyne and Foden but also the misses of Ederson and Haaland… find the top-flops of City’s victory in Copenhagen on Tuesday (1-3).
TOPS
«KDB» à la baguette
Finally back in the competition at the beginning of January, where he notably overthrew Newcastle on his own (1-2), Kevin De Bruyne also signed a brilliant comeback in C1. A goal, two decisive assists for his first of the season and an indelible mark on Manchester City’s victory in Copenhagen (1-3). A goal first from an unstoppable cross strike (on his third attempt of the match after 10 minutes of play!), before a pass it is true very fortunate for Bernardo Silva, but gleaned ©e by tearing away in the area (45th+1). Incessant poison in the last third of the field, he is close to a double in the second period (52nd), he is again on the pass on Phil Foden’s break goal at the end of the match (90th + 1) . “MVP”, but above all essential.
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Foden à la fête
He was obviously keen to celebrate his fiftieth on the European stage. So Phil Foden will have searched for his goal for a long time, in an acrobatic manner (53rd) or more academically (65th, 79th), but the frame has always slipped away. Until the very end of the match, where the British nugget (23 years old) benefited from a good relay from De Bruyne to close the score and certainly the Danish hopes. Beyond the statistical impact, the attacking midfielder will have succeeded in creating a bond thanks to his availability (94 balls) and his vision (92% of successful passes), which make him a essential element among the European champions.
The beautiful story for Mattsson
Less than two weeks after the announcement of his signing, Magnus Mattsson took care of his entry into the hot Parken in Copenhagen. With a sublime curling shot from the half-pipe, the Danish midfielder equalized in style (33rd), scoring the first goal for a Danish club in the knockout phase, and allowing a whole stage to believe it. Not far from a double on a volley which would have sent the Danes to another planet (39th), the former Nijmegen man was also the first to project himself into the second half period, where he almost was a decisive passer on a corner (50th).
FLOPS
Ederson and Grabana, a half to forget
Rarely cited among the great strengths of Manchester City, Ederson was once again missing from Guardiole’s squad. But this time, it was on his strong point, the restart, that the Brazilian goalkeeper disappointed, offering on a plate the equalizer in Copenhagen of a redacted restart e. Opposite, his counterpart Kamil Grabara was hardly more successful in the first half, losing twice after coming out of his cages at the wrong time. If he recovered well in the second period (9 saves), particularly against Haaland (see below), the Pole could certainly do better in the first act.
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Haaland also knows how to miss
Return to earth for Erling Haaland. Determining against Everton last Saturday (2-0), the Norwegian had an evening like he will inevitably experience in his career. Frustrating, and above all aimless. If his acrobatic volley (29th) had naturally given a completely different interpretation to his evening by finishing at the bottom, the “Cyborg” will have sinned in the last gesture this Tuesday. His timing in the air failed him (5th, 85th), until he found the bar (77th), and he struggled until the end, defeated twice by Grabara, the opposing goalkeeper (90th).
