Match ends, Borussia Mönchengladbach 0, Manchester City 2.
B MgladbachBorussia Mönchengladbach0Man CityManchester City2
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says his side "have to be more clinical" despite seeing another dominant display sweep aside Borussia Monchengladbach for a 19th successive win.
Guardiola's team - favourites to win their first Champions League title this season - were far too good for their meek last-16 opposition in Budapest, and perhaps should have added to the first-leg lead given to them by Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus.
"In general, we controlled the game. Unfortunately we were not clinical enough up front," Guardiola told BT Sport.
"That is something we have to improve in this competition. Up front we have to be more clinical. In this competition you have to be perfect to make sure you go through."
Silva headed in a wonderful cross from Joao Cancelo to open the scoring, before the same two players combined to lay on the second for Jesus.
Gladbach, appearing at this stage of the competition for the first time in 43 years, had no answer and would need something close to a sporting miracle to turn the tie around when the sides meet in Manchester on 16 March.
Is this City's year?
Holders Bayern Munich may well have something to say about City being favourites for this year's competition - but their fellow German side were rendered voiceless in Hungary.
Gladbach, no doubt handicapped by not being allowed to play at home because of Covid-19 travel restrictions, barely laid a glove on Guardiola's side. They struggled to get out of their own penalty area at times, never mind into City's, as the visitors pressed mercilessly.
Only Bayern (18) scored more goals in this season's Champions League group stage than Gladbach (16) but such was City's monopoly of possession that goalkeeper Ederson made his sole save in stoppage time.
It is a pattern that is becoming the norm. Never mind conceding, City have only faced nine shots on their goal in four away games in Europe this season. Keep that up and even Bayern will struggle to knock them out.
The runaway Premier League leaders are playing football with such composure, quality and control that they are frequently serving up mismatches and that continued on the continental stage as they wrapped up a 12th away win in a row - a record for an English top-flight club.
Their first-half dominance was rewarded when Cancelo, playing more in central midfield than in his nominal role of left-back, clipped a fine cross from deep which Silva headed down and in.
Jesus should have made it two after the break but took too long to shoot when free in the area, but did then prod home when Silva headed back another fine Cancelo ball.
Kevin de Bruyne was left on the bench throughout and record goalscorer Sergio Aguero was introduced as a late substitute after missing 14 games - and 14 wins - to give City another boost.
They are yet to reach a Champions League final. Is this their year?
"When I see Bayern Munich I don't think we are favourites," Guardiola said. "My target is West Ham in three days.
"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."
'They have a great opportunity' - analysis
Former Crystal Palace striker Clinton Morrison on BBC Radio 5 Live:
"How strong was that Man City bench? Kevin de Bruyne, John Stones, Riyad Mahrez, Sergio Aguero - it's super strong.
"It can be Man City's year, this year, I think they could do the quadruple with the squad they've got at the moment - I think they have a great opportunity."
Jesus' formidable record - the stats
- Man City have progressed from all four of the previous Champions League two-legged knockout ties when they've won the first leg away from home.
- Gabriel Jesus has scored in all five of his Champions League appearances in the last 16 for Manchester City, netting at this stage in each of his last four seasons.
- Manchester City are the first team to keep a clean sheet in their first four away Champions League matches in a campaign since Manchester United did so in 2010-11.
- Manchester City's Phil Foden featured in the Champions League knockout stage for a fourth time before turning 21, only the third player to do so in the competition's history after Cesc Fabregas (2004-05 - 2007-08) and Theo Walcott (2006-07 - 2009-10), who both did so with Arsenal.
Player of the match
João CanceloJoão Cancelo
with an average of 8.05
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Avg
- Squad number25Player nameBensebainiAverage rating
5.33
- Squad number8Player nameZakariaAverage rating
5.31
- Squad number28Player nameGinterAverage rating
5.29
- Squad number18Player nameLainerAverage rating
5.20
- Squad number1Player nameSommerAverage rating
5.19
- Squad number30Player nameElvediAverage rating
5.15
- Squad number14Player namePleaAverage rating
5.05
- Squad number6Player nameKramerAverage rating
4.97
- Squad number23Player nameHofmannAverage rating
4.93
- Squad number32Player nameNeuhausAverage rating
4.93
- Squad number13Player nameStindlAverage rating
4.85
- Squad number36Player nameEmboloAverage rating
4.75
- Squad number10Player nameThuramAverage rating
4.68
- Squad number19Player nameLazaroAverage rating
4.61
- Squad number11Player nameWolfAverage rating
4.54
Manchester City
Avg
Squad number27Player nameJoão CanceloAverage rating8.05
Squad number20Player nameBernardo SilvaAverage rating8.01
- Squad number3Player nameRúben DiasAverage rating
7.49
Squad number47Player nameFodenAverage rating7.36
Squad number8Player nameGündoganAverage rating7.35
Squad number14Player nameLaporteAverage rating7.20
Squad number31Player nameEdersonAverage rating7.17
Squad number2Player nameWalkerAverage rating7.12
Squad number10Player nameAgüeroAverage rating7.05
Squad number9Player nameGabriel JesusAverage rating7.05
- Squad number16Player nameRodriAverage rating
6.93
Squad number26Player nameMahrezAverage rating6.81
- Squad number21Player nameF TorresAverage rating
6.65
Squad number7Player nameSterlingAverage rating6.48
Line-ups
B Mgladbach
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Sommer
- 18LainerSubstituted forLazaroat 63'minutes
- 28Ginter
- 30Elvedi
- 25Bensebaini
- 8Zakaria
- 6Kramer
- 32Neuhaus
- 23HofmannSubstituted forWolfat 87'minutes
- 13StindlSubstituted forEmboloat 74'minutes
- 14PleaSubstituted forThuramat 63'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Lang
- 7Herrmann
- 10Thuram
- 11Wolf
- 15Beyer
- 16Traoré
- 17Wendt
- 19Lazaro
- 21Sippel
- 24Jantschke
- 31Grün
- 36Embolo
Man City
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 31Ederson
- 2Walker
- 3Rúben Dias
- 14Laporte
- 27Cancelo
- 16Rodri
- 8Gündogan
- 7SterlingSubstituted forMahrezat 69'minutes
- 20Bernardo Silva
- 47FodenSubstituted forF Torresat 80'minutes
- 9Gabriel JesusSubstituted forAgüeroat 80'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Stones
- 10Agüero
- 11Zinchenko
- 13Steffen
- 17De Bruyne
- 21F Torres
- 22Mendy
- 25Fernandinho
- 26Mahrez
- 33Carson
- 50García
- 69Doyle
- Referee:
- Artur Manuel Soares Dias
Match Stats
Home TeamB MgladbachAway TeamMan City
- Possession
- Home39%
- Away61%
- Shots
- Home3
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away4
- Corners
- Home0
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away4
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Borussia Mönchengladbach 0, Manchester City 2.
Post update
Attempt saved. Hannes Wolf (Borussia Mönchengladbach) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Ferran Torres (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Kyle Walker.
Post update
Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Ramy Bensebaini (Borussia Mönchengladbach).
Substitution
Substitution, Borussia Mönchengladbach. Hannes Wolf replaces Jonas Hofmann because of an injury.
Post update
Attempt saved. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ferran Torres.
Post update
João Cancelo (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Denis Zakaria (Borussia Mönchengladbach).
Substitution
Substitution, Manchester City. Ferran Torres replaces Phil Foden.
Substitution
Substitution, Manchester City. Sergio Agüero replaces Gabriel Jesus.
Post update
Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Marcus Thuram (Borussia Mönchengladbach).
Post update
Attempt missed. Phil Foden (Manchester City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Ilkay Gündogan with a headed pass.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Jonas Hofmann (Borussia Mönchengladbach) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Florian Neuhaus.
Substitution
Substitution, Borussia Mönchengladbach. Breel Embolo replaces Lars Stindl.
Post update
Foul by João Cancelo (Manchester City).
Post update
Lars Stindl (Borussia Mönchengladbach) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Manchester City. Riyad Mahrez replaces Raheem Sterling.
Comments
Join the conversation
Another City win
City are giving a footballing lesson at this present time
What a player.
Hope you win it, it’s a team worthy of the trophy.
Making predictions at this point is a fool’s game, but I think clearly there’s a good chance we could win a number of trophies this year. Exciting times, and all credit to Pep.
Well done City
Long may it continue..
Who says they couldn’t win the lot? 🏆🏆🏆🏆
I stood up and shouted GIVE ME A B!
Best in Europe but quite some distance.
A credit to the Premier League.