GELSENKIRCHEN • If Pep Guardiola learnt anything from a chaotic night in Germany's industrial heartland, it was that you cannot keep a good narrative down.
Leroy Sane had been left on the bench for his return to Schalke and it did not seem an unreasonable decision given the manner that Manchester City went about their business clinically, taking the lead through Sergio Aguero.
However, the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie turned on its head after the video assistant referee (VAR) twice intervened to award spot kicks, which were converted by Schalke midfielder Nabil Bentaleb.
Nicolas Otamendi was then sent off after the break and City's away record in Champions League knockout games going into this fixture, with five of their last eight matches ending in defeat, was under scrutiny again.
But Sane's rocket of a free kick with five minutes left and Raheem Sterling's route-one goal in added time spared City's blushes, giving Guardiola's men a 3-2 victory at the Veltins Arena on Wednesday.
Afterwards, the former Schalke academy product admitted to feeling "sorry" for his equaliser.
He said: "I couldn't really celebrate. Of course I was pleased for my team, but to score a goal like that against my former love...
"It was very emotional for me to be back in my home town... At the end, we scored three goals away, that's the most important thing."
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand felt Guardiola did not err in naming Sane only as a substitute as the Germany winger has "the end product and is a killer in that sense of the game".
He told BT Sport: "He comes on, makes a huge impact and that's what defines great teams as well. He just looks like poetry in motion the way he plays. He glides across the pitch."
8
Leroy Sane has scored three goals and set up five in his last seven appearances for Manchester City in all competitions.
However, Guardiola conceded that City could not continue to rely on individual brilliance to bail them out of trouble as "it is not enough at this level".
Calling on his side to stop giving opponents "options to be in the game" - Schalke took full advantage of their only two shots on target - he said: "We have some work to do. To go away and score three goals, I am delighted, but... we have to improve on that (defending)".
The Spaniard also backed the VAR despite a delay of over three minutes, after a technical error meant referee Carlos del Cerro Grande could not check Otamendi's handball for Schalke's first penalty.
He added: "The VAR needs time, they will improve, the screen was broken but, next time, they will be better.
"I support the technology because they (the match officials) need the help."
The Premier League champions are the only English club still capable of securing an unprecedented quadruple this season.
They will also be without Fernandinho, who was booked for the second spot kick, for the return leg at the Etihad on March 12.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, THE GUARDIAN
Arsenal manager Unai Emery was fined 8,000 pounds ($10,200) on Monday but avoided a touchline ban for kicking a plastic bottle at a Brighton and Hove Albion supporter, the English Football Association (FA) said.
Arsenal's Emery fined for kicking bottle at Brighton fan
London (AFP) - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer blamed Manchester United's lack of ruthlessness as the Norwegian suffered his first domestic defeat as caretaker manager in a 2-0 loss at Arsenal on Sunday
Arsenal inflict first domestic defeat on Solskjaer to surge
Gareth Bale has been named as a substitute for Real Madrid's Champions League last-16 second leg against Ajax on Tuesday. The Welshman's future at the Santiago Bernabeu has been the subject of intense scrutiny in recent weeks, reaching a crescendo in Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Barcelona.
Arsenal inflict first domestic defeat on Solskjaer to surge into top four. Unai Emery's men also close to within just a point of third-placed Tottenham and now hold the upper hand in the race for
Investigators launched an underwater operation to recover the body that was found in the wreckage of the plane carrying footballer Argentine Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson."We are
UK rescuers launch bid to recover body from Sala's plane
Football: Liverpool laying groundwork for sustained success, says Klopp Klopp applauds the fans as Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum and Fabinho celebrate at the end of a match. PHOTO: REUTERS
Liverpool laying groundwork for sustained success, says Klopp
How Reds learned from Man City - and what Klopp said after defeat Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8Cancel Play now "When you lose games you analyse them more than when you
BARCELONA, May 1 (Reuters) - Lionel Messi put Barcelona on the verge of the Champions League final by scoring twice in a 3-0 home win over Liverpool in Wednesday's semi-final first leg, taking his
Messi Torments Liverpool With 600th Barca Goal In 3-0 Win
Osako double saves the day for Japan, Football News & Top
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayern Munich - Paulaner am Nockherberg, Munich, Germany - May 18, 2019 Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Franck Ribery during the club's party a
Bayern have not yet tabled bid for Man City's Sane
Klopp calm for the run-in, Football News & Top Stories - The
By Martyn Herman. LONDON (Reuters) - When teenager Rayan Clarke rolled a pass off the centre spot at Tottenham Hotspur's gleaming new stadium on Sunday it kicked off a new chapter for the storied
New chapter for Tottenham as stadium hosts first game
Van Dijk is one of the favourites for the Player of the Year award but revealed he voted for City's Raheem Sterling. Sterling gets Van Dijk's vote for PFA player of the year.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said talisman Harry Kane could be out of the rest of the season after he limped off injured in the second half of his team's 1-0 Champions League victory
Kane could be out for the season, says Pochettino | FOX
"Messi is a one-club man," Bartomeu added. "It's more than what he does on the pitch, his relationship with Barca will last forever. "I use the example of Pele, who was always at Santos. We want Messi to always be at Barca, whether that's playing on the pitch or being linked to the club (after he retires)."
Barcelona president Bartomeu wants to keep Messi with club
0 comments:
Post a Comment