Champions League: Manchester City crash out at the quarter-finals yet again

Manchester City were still unable to get past the quarter-final stage of a Champions League competition as two goals in the last 10 minutes from substitute Moussa Dembele saw them crash out of the competition’s last-eight once again, after losing 3-1 to Lyon.

In an exciting and drama-filled match, Manchester City would feel hurt with their missed chances as well as VAR allowing a Dembele breakaway goal to stand despite an apparent foul in the build-up, and their inability to draw level before Dembele’s tap-in from Ederson’s error confirmed City’s shock exit.

Despite City pitted as huge favourites going into the game, Lyon once again caused an upset just as they did with their group-stage meetings last season, with Maxwell Cornet – who has scored four times against City – putting his side ahead in the first half.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt1dMyoJVSM

Midfield maestro, Kevin De Bruyne dragged City level and they looked the more likely to win, dominating every corner of the pitch afterwards.

But it’s Lyon who would deal the fatal blow as they had one last trick to pull, introducing their top scorer Moussa Dembele, who put the Ligue 1 side back ahead in the 79th minute. City yet again would feel hurt by the video assistant refere’se decision in the match as the French forward was not reprimanded for a foul on Aymeric Laporte in the build-up.

Dembele then killed off the tie to set up a semi-final tie against Bayern Munich on Wednesday after scoring his second of the night 59 seconds after Sterling howler from six yards with an open goal on offer.

Manchester City have been knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the third season running.

Relate

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• Bayern Munich humilates Barcelona in ten goal thriller in Lisbon

 

Lyon will now meet in the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday. It will be the first time the teams are meeting in 24 years. RB Leipzig would be in action against Paris St-Germain the night before.

Guardiola, despite being showered in plaudits for the wonderful football and success he has brought to Manchester City, and rightly so has yet to attain its biggest target since the Spaniard was brought on for Manuel Pellegrini.

And despite being adjudged to overthink, his approach in the Champions League seemed to have slumped into the character once again as he adopted a three-man central defensive system, leaving many of City’s creators and manipulators on the bench.

Lyon deserves credit and utmost respect especially after eliminating one of the title favourites Juventus, but this was a ploy that took it too far and maybe Guardiola showed them a little bit more respect as it resulted in a stuttering City lacking urgency and creativity.

The introduction of Riyad Mahrez after the break proved that to some extent but Lyon showed grit and durability to secure the prize as Guardiola’s approach offered them a glimmer of hope which they utilised fully to their advantage.

Stats and facts from the match (Backed by Opta)

• Lyon’s Rudi Garcia is the first French manager to guide a French team to the Champions League semi-finals since 2009-10 (Claude Puel & Lyon).
• Since progressing from his first seven Champions League quarter-finals as a manager with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, Pep Guardiola has been eliminated in each of his three appearances at this stage of the competition with Man City (17-18, 18-19 & 19-20).
• Man City’s Raheem Sterling made his 50th Champions League appearance tonight, aged 25 years and 251 days; the only Englishman to reach this milestone at a younger age was Wayne Rooney in 2010 (24 years, 115 days).
• The Champions League semi-finals will see two French teams (PSG, Lyon) and two German teams (RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich). It is the first time since 2012-13 that there are just two different nations at the semi-final stage.
• City’s Kevin de Bruyne has been directly involved in more goals in 2019-20 than any other Premier League player (38 – 16 goals, 22 assists).
• Lyon’s Maxwel Cornet and Moussa Dembele have scored four Champions League goals against City, a joint high with Lionel Messi.
• Sterling provided his 11th assist for Manchester City in the Champions League – the joint-most for the club alongside De Bruyne.
• Fernandinho made his 58th appearance in the Champions League for Man City – the most of any City player in the competition.