Manchester City took full control of their Champions League quarter-final tie with a world-class display against FC Bayern and a 3-0 victory at the Etihad.
The Sky Blues were priced by SBOTOP as significant favourites to navigate this tie and the UK media were pitching this clash as a potentially defining moment in Pep Guardiola’s reign at the Etihad. And it couldn’t have gone much better for the Manchester City boss as side simply blew the German champions away.
The prolific Erling Braut Haaland was all over the Bayern defence from the off as Kevin de Bruyne pinged balls in the box but the opening goal came from an unexpected source. Rodri doesn’t score many goals and this was his first strike in the Champions League but it was very, very special. The Spaniard cut inside onto his left foot and curled a beauty into the top corner. Jamal Musiala, who had just been denied by a brilliant block by Ruben Dias at the other end, gave Rodri too much space to get his shot away and the City man made him pay.
That was on 27 minutes and the Sky Blues almost made it two when Ilkay Gundogan had a shot from 12 yards blocked by the outstretched leg of Bayern keeper Yann Sommer.
At this stage this was an end-to-end battle as ex-City star Leroy Sane forced two superb saves from Ederson while Sommer brilliantly tipped over an effort from Dias. The Sky Blues made a change midway through the second half, replacing De Bruyne with Julian Alvarez, while Bayern brought on Sadio Mane in place of Musiala; and almost immediately the hosts doubled their lead. And it was another beauty.
Jack Grealish won the ball off a dallying Dayot Upamecano and he released Haaland down the left and when the whole stadium expected him to shoot the Norwegian dinked the ball across for Bernardo Silva to head home.
But you know what? Haaland is a scorer first and foremost and he got his goal when City went route one, John Stones headed back into his path and he fired home his 45th goal for the season in all competitions.
Benfica 0-2 Inter
Inter Milan took a stranglehold on their tie by beating previously undefeated Benfica in Portugal thanks to two second-half goals.
This was a really tight tie to call, with the two sides having nearly identical Champions League 2023 betting odds to make it to the last four of the competition. And it was a hard-fought match with no quarter given in a goalless first half. Edin Dzeko missed a good headed chance for Inter but Benfica had the only shot on target in the first 45, when Rafa had a shot saved by Andre Onana in his bottom corner.
But the Italians broke the deadlock, early in the second half, when Nicolo Barella met a cross from Alessandro Bastoni and planted his header firmly home. That goal sparked a Benfica backlash as the hosts rained shots down on the Inter goal, but the Italians came close again when Henrikh Mkhitaryan saw a shot saved in the bottom corner. And the second crucial goal came with ten minutes to play when Romelu Lukaku slotted home a penalty after Benfica skipper Joao Mario had handled in the penalty area.
It was harsh on the Portuguese side but a clinical display from the Italians.
What’s next?
There will be more Champions League 2023 updatestomorrow night folks, when
Napoli head to north Italy, to face AC Milan, and Real Madrid host Chelsea in the other two quarter-finals.
Serie A runaway leaders Napoli have been installed as second favourites to win the tournament but they will be without star striker Victor Osimhen; while I Rossoneri will approach the tie with plenty of confidence after they thrashed the Azzurri in a league game just over a week ago. Rafael Leao scored twice as AC Milan ran out 4-0 winners, in Napoli’s third defeat of the campaign.
In the other tie Real Madrid will be hot favourites to beat Chelsea who will be led by their third coach of the season after Frank Lampard was installed as caretaker boss following the departure of Graham Potter from Stamford Bridge. Los Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti coached Lampard when he was manager at Chelsea, leading the Blues to a Premier League and FA Cup double in 2010 and being the first Italian coach to win the English top flight.
I suspect the Real Madrid coach will give his former player another lesson on Wednesday night.
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