Can anybody cease Manchester Metropolis within the Champions League?

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — It is potential to have good moments in opposition to Manchester Metropolis. They will even be crushed over 90 minutes as Wolves, Arsenal, and Aston Villa have already proved this season. However beating Pep Guardiola’s staff over two video games — with one on the Etihad Stadium, the place they have not misplaced for greater than a yr — is one thing else.

Metropolis have solely misplaced one two-legged UEFA Champions League knockout tie in practically 5 years, and even that required one thing of a miracle from Actual Madrid once they scored twice in stoppage time on the Bernabeu in 2022. It begs the query: who can cease the reigning champions of Europe from reaching a 3rd Champions League remaining in 4 years?

FC Copenhagen had their moments of their round-of-16, first-leg tie at Parken on Tuesday however they had been outplayed for a lot of the sport and had been crushed, as most had anticipated, 3-1. The scoreline most likely ought to have been much more snug.

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Regardless of beating Manchester United and drawing with Bayern Munich within the group stage, the Danish champions, taking part in their first aggressive recreation for 2 months, may barely lay a glove on their guests and face a near-impossible job on the Etihad in three weeks. Actual Madrid, with Jude Bellingham, and Bayern, with Harry Kane, would fancy their possibilities of going toe-to-toe if later attracts deliver video games in opposition to Metropolis, however the present holders are favourites to win the competitors once more for good motive.

“I understand how troublesome it’s,” Guardiola stated afterwards. “Individuals imagine it’s straightforward however ask United and Bayern. It is a actually powerful opponent. We made excellent ideas at this time. My job is to warn the gamers in regards to the attributes they’ve.

“We behaved with character, persona and persistence. Everybody was at a prime stage. It isn’t decisive however it’s an excellent consequence. Hopefully, we are able to make the quarterfinals.”

FC Copenhagen tried every thing to derail Metropolis. On a freezing night time in Denmark, the house followers poured into the stadium greater than an hour earlier than kickoff and made as a lot noise as they might whereas Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and John Stones had been all on the top of some heavy early challenges.

“We knew [they would be physical,” said Guardiola, who saw Grealish and Bernardo Silva limp off with injuries. “We talked about it, they are so aggressive.” Still, City were able to get into their rhythm quickly.

Kevin De Bruyne, playing in his first Champions League game since last season’s final after five months out with injury, could have scored with a header after just three minutes. He eventually scored after 10 minutes, by which time Nathan Aké had poked a tap-in over the bar.

For the first 30 minutes, City had 80% possession and Copenhagen were only allowed back into the game after a horrible wayward pass from Ederson ended up with Magnus Mattsson, making his debut following a move from NEC, scoring from the edge of the penalty area to briefly make it 1-1. Bernardo put City back in front just before half-time and Foden added a third in stoppage time but the only surprise was that the result wasn’t more emphatic after Copenhagen conceded 27 shots and 13 on target. They have goalkeeper Kamil Grabara to thank for making sure the tie isn’t over already.

The one hope for Copenhagen is that the return game in Manchester on March 6 is sandwiched between Premier League fixtures against Manchester United and Liverpool and it’s possible Guardiola might rotate his squad. The hope for the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern is that City continue to show small spells of vulnerability, having kept just 11 clean sheets in their past 37 games in all competitions, but with players like De Bruyne — who scored one and made two against Copenhagen — they will always score. With three goals against Copenhagen, they became the first team in Champions League history to score at least three goals in seven consecutive games.

“We played really good,” Guardiola said. “The right tempo we should play. We managed the game. The first game in the last 16 is always so dangerous but the players behaved and performed really good.

“We’ll prepare for the [second game] understanding we’re not by way of. It is one recreation at a time.

“It was actually, actually good. I am so proud. It was essential. In the present day was excellent.”

Metropolis have not been knocked out of the Champions League within the final 16 since shedding to Monaco in 2017 and every thing factors to that run being prolonged as soon as Copenhagen pay a go to to the Etihad. Guardiola, although, may have his sights set a lot increased, and given their file in knockout ties, you would not guess in opposition to one other remaining look at Wembley in June.

The query going through the remainder of Europe is: who can cease them?