Jesus on target as Manchester City ease into last eight despite Basel defeat

Manchester City are Champions League quarter-finalists for only a second time, their only blight conceding two soft goals in this second-leg defeat against Basel though, as Pep Guardiola pointed out, given the number of changes he made this was hardly a surprise. Still, this meant Basel joined Chelsea as the only side to defeat City at home under the Catalan, the London club having done so in December 2016.

The manager was unhappy at the display after half-time. “In the second half, we forgot to attack, we forgot to play,” he said. “Just to pass the ball to pass for itself is nothing and the second half was really poor.” He went as far as to say the second half may offer succour to future opponents though as this particular XI is unlikely to be fielded again this does not feel a real concern.

“Yeah, maybe people will think the way we played today, we are not able to fight to go through,” he said. “We will see. After they see the second half, people [may] say that team does not fight for everything.”

Really, though, Guardiola’s strongest side can look forward to the draw on Friday week knowing that few will wish to come up against them. He had stressed the need to be focused despite the 4-0 lead from the opening leg. For the task six of his big guns from Sunday’s victorious XI over Chelsea were stood down: Ederson, Kyle Walker, Sergio Agüero, Nicolas Otamendi, and David Silva.

Gabriel Jesus was in for Sergio Agüero and he opened the scoring eight minutes in. Leroy Sané collected in midfield, drove at the Swiss champions, and laid the ball off to Bernardo Silva on the right. He swept it across the area and Jesus did the rest.

Source: theguardian