Manchester City had a field day in Budapest as they beat Borussia Monchengladbach in the first leg of the Round of 16 tie in the UEFA Champions League.
The English Premier League leaders extended their winning streak to 19 games in all competitions after dominating German side Borussia Monchengladbach to win 2-0.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City secured a comfortable first leg away win in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 to almost secure their place in the quarterfinals of Europe’s elite club competition.
Man City enter this year’s Champions League as the favourites to win the competition and so far, are proving as to why they are the team to watch out for.
Bernardo Silva celebrates his goal.
(Photo by ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images)
It was the Portuguese, Bernardo Silva who opened the scoring in the 29th minute and Gabriel Jesus made sure of the victory with a 65th minute goal to give City 2 away goals going back home to Manchester.
Manager Pep Guardiola, however, was critical of his team’s display saying that they needed “to be more clinical”. City absolutely bossed proceedings and Monchengladbach could barely even get on the ball.
Bernardo Silva gave City the lead with a header from a lovely cross by Joao Cancelo in the first half, which was perfectly reminiscent of the way the game was being played.
Jesus doubled City’s lead in the second half after the hour mark to make sure that there was no way back for the hosts who had to play their home game in Hungary instead of Germany due to certain COVID-19 protocols.
This was Gladbach’s first time in the knockouts of the UEFA Champions League since 1978 and it did not go well as they were always a step behind the English giants.
Jesus also scored against Borussia Monchengladbach in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
(Photo by ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images)
It was an impressive performance from City because Monchengladbach have been a free-scoring side. They have the second-most goals scored in this year’s Champions League campaign with 16 after Bayern Munich who have 18!
This made no difference to City who strangled their opposition to not really even give them an opportunity to create chances in the game. Man City goalkeeper Ederson had to make just 1 save and that came right at the end in stoppage time, in what was a very quiet evening otherwise for the Brazilian in goal.
City have only faced 9 shots in their 4 away games this season in Europe’s elite league! Their recent form and run have made them real threats to defending champions Bayern Munich.
The Citizens were so good that Kevin de Bruyne did not have to feature at all in the game. There seems to be little to no hope for Gladbach in the second leg, however, games are not won on paper. Can the German side force an upset and knockout the English side who still await a chance to qualify for the Champions League final, and win the competition as well.
Pep Guardiola does not consider his team as favourites: “When I see Bayern Munich I don’t think we are favourites.”
He went on to say, “If people say we are favourites we have to accept it, but a team who in their whole history has been a semi-final once? OK, they say it, we have to accept it.”
This City looks like one of the strongest sides we have ever seen. Can they do the Quadruple this year? It is definitely on the cards.
