Kevin De Bruyne’s second-half strike broke Atletico Madrid’s stubborn resistance, giving Manchester City a 1-0 win in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.
Pep Guardiola’s team spent much of the night at the Etihad Stadium slamming their heads against the red and white brick wall erected by Atletico’s massed defense.
But, midway through the second half, Guardiola introduced Phil Foden, whose sublime pass set up De Bruyne to finally reward City for their territorial dominance.
Guardiola threw a water bottle in a frenzied celebration, emphasizing how difficult the night had been for his team, but the City manager knows the tie is far from over.
This was a qualified success at the start of a season-defining 11 days for treble-chasing City, and it justified their patient performance.
However, Atletico Madrid has already eliminated Manchester United in the last 16 this season, and Liverpool was defeated by Diego Simeone’s side in the 2019-20 season when the Reds were the holders.
The Spanish champions are still hopeful of causing another upset in the second leg on April 13 in Madrid.
City have no margin for error over the next two weeks, as they host Liverpool, who are just a point behind them in the Premier League title race, on Sunday.
They travel to Madrid next week before returning to Wembley three days later to face Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-finals.
Guardiola has been chastised in the past for his strange team selections in City’s Champions League knockout stage defeats.
Guardiola responded angrily to the charge on Monday, joking that he always “over-thinks” his “stupid” tactics.
Guardiola’s game-changing decision to introduce Foden, on the other hand, should silence some of his detractors after it turned a difficult evening into a crucial win.
– Ingenious move – With five defenders and three midfielders aligned across their own penalty area for long periods of time in a low block designed to subdue City, Atletico were content to sit back with five defenders and three midfielders aligned across their own penalty area.
City dominated possession as usual, but they frequently found themselves shuffling passes across midfield before Atletico closed the door.
Simeone’s famously pragmatic game plans are anathema to attacking football fans, with his cautious tactics standing in stark contrast to Guardiola’s purist principles.
Guardiola’s frustration, as well as his sense of déjà vu, grew as the rain poured down.
Simeone’s Atletico Madrid eliminated Bayern Munich’s Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich in the 2016 semi-finals, averaging just 27% possession over the two legs.
In the first half, City attempted 397 passes to Atletico’s 149, but they needed to play with more invention and urgency.
Soon after the break, City began to rise to the occasion, and Ilkay Gundogan came close with a curling shot that was deflected wide by Stefan Savic.
Jan Oblak’s first save came from De Bruyne’s free-kick, while Raheem Sterling dragged his effort wide from a dangerous position moments later.
Reinildo’s shoulder barge sent City forwards tumbling as he tried to reach De Bruyne’s pass, but Sterling was denied a possible penalty.
Guardiola had had enough of Aymeric Laporte’s wastefulness and sent on Foden, Jack Grealish, and Gabriel Jesus from Riyad Mahrez’s corner.
Foden’s arrival was a brilliant move, as the England forward was instrumental in City’s final goal in the 70th minute.
Foden shimmied away from two defenders outside the Atletico area and slipped a precise pass to De Bruyne, who timed his run perfectly to drill a low strike into the far corner from a tight angle.
After kicking the ball at Grealish and receiving a shove from Guardiola, Angel Correa was given a booking.
De Bruyne had a chance to extend City’s lead, but he missed the target, leaving the tie in doubt.
AFP
