Percy Onyeka
After Manchester City advanced to the quarterfinals for the eighth straight season on Wednesday, Pep Guardiola declared that his team had earned a spot among the perennial favorites for Champions League triumph.
Guardiola was able to rest a number of well-known players during the 3-1 victory over FC Copenhagen at the Etihad, which concluded a 6-2 aggregate crushing.
Within ten minutes, goals from Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez ended the tie as a game, and Erling Haaland scored his 29th goal of the year shortly after.
Mohamed Elyounoussi briefly reduced the Danish champions’ deficit to 2-1 on the night, but Copenhagen were outclassed over two legs as the European champions remain on course for another treble.
City conquered Europe for the first time in the club’s history last season, but Guardiola acknowledged his side are now seen as favourites for the competition ahead of the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
The English champions have not lost a Champions League game at the Etihad since 2018 and became the first side in the competition’s history to score three or more goals in nine consecutive home games.
“The important thing is being there (in the quarter-finals) seven years in a row, it’s quite impressive,” said Guardiola.
“We are well-respected from our opponents. The numbers are there – our consistency.
“I remember when I arrived, we didn’t believe, the club didn’t believe we could do it because we didn’t have the hierarchy in Europe like teams in Spain or Germany. It was a question of time, a process.
“The problem is the managers in modern football don’t have time. They gave me time, our hierarchy, so credit to them to accept the process. Now we are a team that believe we can do it.”
Guardiola showed he had one eye on Sunday’s top-of-the-table Premier League clash at Liverpool as he made seven changes from the side that beat Manchester United at the weekend.
Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva were among those to spend the 90 minutes on the bench to rest up ahead of the trip to Anfield.
But City were still a class apart and aided on their way into the last eight by some comical Copenhagen defending.
Akanji made a sweet connection with Alvarez’s outswinging corner but was given far too much room in the centre of the box to find the top corner.
Worse was to come for the visitors as former Liverpool goalkeeper Kamil Grabara let a simple shot from Alvarez slip through his grasp.
A flat environment was maintained at the Etihad by the 2,500 strong visiting support from Copenhagen, who showed no signs of weakness at the half-hour mark.
Elyounoussi, a former winger for Southampton and Celtic, advanced with purpose, dribbling past Orri Oskarsson in a neat one-two before curling a shot into the far corner.
Haaland had been silent up until the first half stoppage time, when he started to act.
After being picked out by Rodri, the Norwegian cut to his left foot of choice and fired a shot at Grabara’s near post.
With just 37 appearances for three different clubs, Haaland’s total of 41 Champions League goals now matches the record of City’s all-time top scorer, Sergio Aguero.
City took their foot off the gas in the second period and could have been punished but for some smart goalkeeping from Ederson to deny Magnus Mattsson.
But Guardiola’s men are rounding ominously into form for those trying to dethrone them in England and in Europe.
City have won 18 and drawn two of their last 20 games in all competitions and remain the side to beat when the draw for the Champions League quarters and semi-finals takes place on March 15.
Techectory with AFP
