Manchester City secured their place in the Champions League quarter-finals for the seventh consecutive season with a commanding victory over Copenhagen.
Having already established a two-goal lead in the first leg in Copenhagen, City swiftly extinguished any hopes of an upset as Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez found the net within the opening nine minutes. Erling Haaland further solidified City’s dominance, netting his sixth goal of the campaign – and 29th in all competitions – pushing him joint-top in the tournament scoring charts alongside Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe. ‘
The match ended 3-1 for Guardiola’s boys.
Haaland’s form is particularly timely for City, with the Norwegian striker scoring in three successive games for the first time since October.
🔟 in 🔟 for Manchester City! 🇼
They've become only the third team in Champions League history to win 10+ games in a row 🤯
◎ Real Madrid (2014-15)
◎ Bayern (2019-20)
◉ Man City (2023-24) pic.twitter.com/17JNkTdtPA— Football Factly (@FootballFactly) March 7, 2024
The victory not only showcased City’s prowess but also boosted manager Pep Guardiola ahead of the critical clash with Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
Guardiola, who had emphasized focusing on Copenhagen before contemplating Liverpool, made seven changes to the squad that defeated Manchester United over the weekend and even replaced key player Rodri at halftime.
However, these alterations did not hinder City’s performance, highlighting the squad’s depth and flexibility.
City’s continued success in reaching the Champions League quarter-finals marks the longest current run among European clubs. Only Manchester United, who achieved a similar feat from 1996-97 to 2002-03, holds a better record in the competition among English clubs.
As anticipation builds for the upcoming quarter-finals and the crucial clash with Liverpool, Manchester City seems to be hitting top form at the right moment, leaving football enthusiasts eagerly awaiting these high-stakes encounters.