Manchester City are through to the last four of the
Champions League again - but boy did they have to suffer for it.
Pep Guardiola was exhausted after the first leg because Bayern Munich did things to his team that nobody else has this season, and the Blues' defence was repeatedly shredded at a fiery Allianz Arena in a game played at a blistering pace. Never has a 3-0 lead felt so fragile. If the first leg was played on a knife edge, this was a knife edge on a precipice with City as determined to keep control as Bayern were happy to play fast and loose. Poor decision-making from the home side contributed to their exit despite the immense energy in their performance, but City absorbed all of the pressure and survived every difficulty they endured to leave
Germany with a return date against
Real Madrid in the diary. Also read: Man City ratings as Rodri and Dias star A third successive quarter-final exit may be disappointing for Bayern, but they at least exited with some pride restored in what has been a tough few weeks in a difficult season. Bayern went out as a big club should, giving it their all against one of the best teams in Europe. It was clear even before kick-off that City were going to have a very different fight on their hands. Bayern's bizarre warmup show of Bavaria meets
basketball then gave way for the home fans to make a huge Champions League trophy in the stand behind the goal with the message: 'Kings of the Cup!' To be fair to Thomas Tuchel, for all the downplaying of expectations on Tuesday before the match he had his team fired up and playing like they were going to follow through on the message from their supporters. The pace of Kingsley Coman immediately and repeatedly unsettled Nathan Ake on the left and Leroy Sane needed no hesitation to speed past John Stones and Manu Akanji on the other side. If there was a fault to be found with the home team's approach, they were on the edge of being too wound up. Joao Cancelo, up against close friend Bernardo Silva and subjected to chants of 'City reject' by the away end, was booked early on for diving into a challenge and Thomas Tuchel was carded soon after. Choosing chaos dragged the Blues into it though, with Ilkay Gundogan losing his cool with Germany teammate Leon Goretzka before the first half was out resulting in a pair of bookings for the midfielders. Ederson had also seen yellow for timewasting as the referee clamped down on City attempts to slow the game down at every possible opportunity. By the halfway point on the night, City could have been behind - Ruben Dias came up with another incredible block on the line while Rodri made several crucial interceptions - but should have been ahead. As Bayern were too slack as an attack broke down, City seized their moment and Ilkay Gundogan's shot from the edge of the box was handled inside of it by Bayern's villain from the first leg Dayot Upemecano. Having been incensed at City's gamesmanship up to that point, suddenly Bayern responded in kind to force Haaland to wait an age to take the spotkick. Again though, it worked as the Norwegian blasted over the bar. To City's credit, they did not crumble. Their best finisher inexplicably missing a penalty is a tale worthy of being woven into the fabric of the club's Champions League heartbreaks, yet the Blues simply dug in further and waited for another opportunity. It came ten minutes into the second half. It was another Bayern attack that Ederson scrambled to keep out, then seconds later City were suddenly at the other end of the pitch and the luckless Upemecano was falling to the ground helplessly just as Haaland picked up the ball on the edge of the box. It was a scene that brought back memories of
Lionel Messi sitting down Jerome Boateng back in 2015 when Guardiola's Bayern went to
Barcelona, only this time the phenomenal forward was on the side of the
Catalan coach. Haaland celebrated jubilantly in front of the home fans, and even the substitutes joined in at the side of the pitch. Goal number 48 of the season smashed home, relief and disappointment punctured the tension that had been hanging in the air all evening, and City were on their way to Madrid. Bayern kept plugging away and grabbed an equaliser on the night in the final 15 minutes, but it was too little, too late. Guardiola had joked about enjoying Oktoberfest on the eve of the game but quickly changed his tone in the press conference. "We are here for business," he said, and how they finished the
Job. If Bayern behaved like a big club, they were also bested by one. It took immense patience and resilience from City to withstand so much pressure, and then clinical quality to pounce when the opportunity came their way. They may never have been kings of this particular cup but it is their best victory in the competition to beat Bayern Munich home and away. Such an emphatic result - even if the winning streak in all competitions is over - should see them bounce into their FA Cup semi-final with Sheffield United at the weekend but, more importantly, boost them for their European hopes. Whatever traumas from the Bernabeu remain, they have shown that if they can play enough of their game more often than not it will be enough to beat anyone. However tired he is after that one, Guardiola can enjoy a beer tonight as City fans toast the greatest team in the land and the world. They are one step closer to proving it in Istanbul. READ NEXT Follow the latest City news, views and analysis City told what Stones adds to midfield City fans all say same thing as Haaland scores vs Bayern Champions League semi-final draw and dates confirmed City fans back Pep Guardiola tactical decision vs Bayern Munich