Tag: Manchester City

Bayern Munich to face PSG, Real Madrid vs Liverpool in Champions League last eight | Football News – Times of India

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


Holders Bayern Munich will face the team they beat in last year’s Champions League final in this season’s quarter-finals after being paired with Paris St Germain in Friday’s draw.
In the other standout tie of the last eight 13-time champions Real Madrid face six-time winners Liverpool in a repeat of the 2018 final won by the Spanish club.
Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City, seeking their first Champions League title, will play Borussia Dortmund with the winners to face Bayern or PSG in the semi-finals.
There is also the prospect of an all English semi-final after Chelsea were drawn to play Porto with the prize for the winners a clash with Real Madrid or Liverpool.
The Qatari owners of PSG have invested fortunes into trying to conquer the Champions League and came tantalisingly close last season when they reached the final only for Bayern’s Kingsley Coman to break their hearts with the only goal in Lisbon.
Since then manager Thomas Tuchel has gone and been replaced by Mauricio Pochettino who took Tottenham Hotspur to the 2019 Champions League final where they lost to Liverpool.
Pochettino now faces a daunting task if he is to deliver the prize the Parisian club desire so badly.
Bundesliga leaders Bayern reached the quarter-final for a record 19th time by cruising past Lazio 6-2 on aggregate and will provide a formidable barrier.
Liverpool’s Premier League title defence crumbled long ago but if anything can rouse the Anfield club it is a clash with Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Juergen Klopp’s side are languishing in sixth place in the Premier League, 25 points behind Manchester City, and with no guarantee of a top-four finish they might need to win a seventh European crown just to get back in the competition.
Chelsea, unbeaten in 13 games since Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard, may feel they have got the easier option in Porto who they have beaten in five of their eight previous meetings.
Yet while Chelsea’s clinical defeat of Atletico Madrid in the last 16 was impressive, so was the way Porto knocked out Juventus in a thriller and the Portuguese side will take that belief into their clash with the London club.
Should Chelsea and Liverpool both progress it would be the fourth time they have met in the Champions League semis.
Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi owners have made winning the Champions League the priority in their masterplan and will feel this could be their year.
After a sluggish start to the season Pep Guardiola’s side have dominated the Premier League and with that title virtually in the bag will be able to focus on Europe.
They sealed a fourth successive quarter-final berth with a 4-0 aggregate win over Borussia Moenchengladbach and have not conceded a goal in the competition for 11 hours 35 minutes.

[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Leave a comment , , , , , , , ,

Manchester City: Manchester City stroll past Borussia Moenchengladbach into Champions League quarterfinals | Football News – Times of India

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


BUDAPEST: Manchester City marched into the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the fourth straight season after a 2-0 win over Borussia Moenchengladbach on Tuesday to complete a 4-0 aggregate victory.
First-half goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan secured a comfortable victory in another impressive display from Pep Guardiola’s side in the home leg, played in the Hungarian capital due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
De Bruyne blasted City ahead in the 13th minute with an unstoppable left-footed drive into the top corner after being set up by Riyad Mahrez — the team’s 100th goal in all competitions so far this season.
The in-form Gundogan put the tie beyond any doubt five minutes later with a confident finish after Phil Foden had broken from midfield at pace and then found the German with a perfectly weighted pass.
City, who have not conceded a goal since the opening game of the group stage in October, more than 11 hours of football, were in total command at the Puskas Arena and playing at their fluent best.

De Bruyne was a constant threat, Foden a livewire and Bernardo Silva effective, often in the “false nine” role with Guardiola leaving Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling on the bench.
The German side, who began their Champions League campaign with such promise, have hit an awful run of form since coach Marco Rose announced he would leave the club to join Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season and this was their seventh straight loss in all competitions.
City should have made the result even more emphatic after the break with Mahrez missing several chances but the Premier League leaders were able to ease off and make changes with the outcome long determined.

“It was a good performance, in control for the 90 minutes. We moved the ball quick, played really well again. A lot of players with quality who don’t lose the ball. I am delighted to be in the next stage,” said Guardiola.
City, who have won 24 of their last 25 matches on all fronts, have fallen at the last eight in each of their three appearances at that stage under the Spanish coach.
The club have reached the last four only once, in 2015/16 under Chilean Manuel Pellegrini.
The draw for the rest of the competition is held on Friday.



[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Leave a comment , , , , , , ,

Business as usual as Manchester City crush Southampton | Football News – Times of India

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


MANCHESTER: Leaders Manchester City showed that their weekend derby loss was a blip as Kevin de Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez both scored twice in a 5-2 win over Southampton in the Premier League on Wednesday.
City’s 21-match winning streak in all competitions was rudely interrupted by a 2-0 defeat by Manchester United but normal service was quickly resumed at the Etihad Stadium as they opened up a 14-point gap at the top.
After a slow start City went ahead with their first attack when De Bruyne pounced to convert a rebound in 15th minute, only for James Ward-Prowse to equalise from the penalty spot.
Mahrez restored City’s lead and Ilkay Gundogan made it 3-1 in first-half stoppage time before Mahrez produced another clinical finish 10 minutes after the interval.

Che Adams replied for an adventurous Southampton but De Bruyne grabbed his second of the night shortly afterwards as City looked like scoring every time they attacked.
City have 68 points from 29 games with Manchester United on 54 from one game fewer.

Southampton, who played impressive football at times, have 33 points from 28 games and are only seven points above the relegation zone after a ninth defeat in 11 games.
For a while it looked as though City might still be suffering a hangover from Sunday as Southampton dominated possession in the opening minutes.
But City went ahead when Phil Foden’s shot was parried out by Alex McCarthy to De Bruyne who scored off the crossbar.
Southampton levelled though when Aymeric Laporte fouled Jannik Vestergaard and Ward-Prowse slotted home.
City were fuming, with some justification, when McCarthy appeared to have tripped Foden after a poor touch but somehow got away without conceding a penalty after a VAR check.

“It is just incredible that penalty was not given. One day they are going to explain why. I do not understand it,” City manager Pep Guardiola, otherwise a happy man, said.
City responded to the injustice by going back ahead when Mahrez planted a shot past McCarthy and the Algerian was then denied another goal by the post only for Gundogan to turn in the rebound for his 10th league goal in 2021 and 12th of the campaign.
Mahrez was at the centre of City’s attacking onslaught and cleverly worked space on his left foot to make it 4-1 in the 55th minute. Adams then took advantage of a lapse in City’s defence to grab a goal back.
But no sooner did Southampton think they had a lifeline than De Bruyne showed great footwork to beat McCarthy again.
“I think we played quite well I must say even though we conceded five goals,” Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl said.
“We were very brave with the ball at times. It’s the final quality that is missing.” (Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed Osmond and Toby Davis)



[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Leave a comment , , , ,

EPL: Manchester United end City’s winning streak with derby victory | Football News – Times of India

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


MANCHESTER (England): Manchester City‘s 21-match winning streak was ended by rivals Manchester United on Sunday with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side enjoying a 2-0 Premier League derby win at the Etihad Stadium.
The result narrows City’s lead over United at the top of the table to 11 points with 10 games remaining and was City’s first defeat in all competitions since November 21.
City were stunned after just 34 seconds when referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the penalty spot after Gabriel Jesus brought down Anthony Martial just inside the box.
Bruno Fernandes took the penalty with Ederson getting his right hand to the shot which squeezed in the corner to give the visitors the lead.
Luke Shaw had a great chance to double their advantage shortly after the opener but the fullback shot straight at Ederson from a good position in the box.
City had an appeal for a penalty turned down when Raheem Sterling tangled with Fred in the area and Riyad Mahrez went close just before the break.
United, tactically and defensively solid throughout, doubled their lead when keeper Dean Henderson threw a clever and fast ball out to Shaw who burst past two City defenders and after a swift exchange with Marcus Rashford, drove into the bottom far-corner.

[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Leave a comment , , , , ,