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Pep Guardiola talks about how vital it is to “arrive” in an optimal way when the knockout phase of the Champions begins. This smooth display illustrated why Manchester City’s remarkable streak was 19 wins in a row, courtesy of the excellent João Cancelo, who was instrumental in every goal.
Guardiola is aware that the move to the quarter-finals is not complete, but Borussia Mönchengladbach is a firm loser to reverse this tie. Next Saturday for City is West Ham, when David Moyes must find a way to outperform his counterpart.
The city manager was asked what was the lifeblood in the winning sequence. “Nineteen wins in a row, we have a lot of money to buy incredible players,” he said. “All the time is [due to] the money. They [also] Have an amazing relationship and play all the games thinking of winning this game. Now we are enjoying the evening with some food and we are thinking of West Ham as the second leg is three weeks away. “
Guardiola acknowledged City’s hesitancy against the goal and said: “In this competition there is no margin [for error]. So in one-on-one, three-on-two actions you have to end the action, make the goalkeeper make a save. We create chances, we reach the last third but we have to finish better. I’d like to improve that. “
Guardiola told Cancelo to come in from the left side to make an additional midfielder, a play that happened at all times. Marco Rose’s men compounded this by carelessly giving the ball up – not recommended against opponents who expertly hoard possession.
It meant extra work for his defenders, like when Ramy Bensebaini stuck a leg out when Raheem Sterling lunged at Yann Sommer’s goal. If this was direct from the City captain, there were too many distractions when Rodri’s pass off the boot found Jesus in the box. First the Brazilian, then Sterling and Ilkay Gündogan refused to shoot and City were frustrated.
Cancelo’s presence in the center areas gave Mönchengladbach a chance to exploit the unoccupied wing when Stefan Lainer stepped forward and fired a low cross that had Kyle Walker lunge for clearance.
The ‘home team’ at Budapest’s Puskas Arena were technically adept at possession, but City, who surrounded and surrounded them every time they received the ball, deprived it far too often. This is the relentless pace of work that Guardiola demands of his players and allowed them to attack as they pleased. When Sterling passed Bensebaini, the left-back went for the ball and the forward fell into the box. Artur Dias did not rule a penalty and the VAR backed the referee.
City, however, went ahead moments later. Cancelo’s chip fell precisely where Silva wanted it and the attacker’s header that beat Sommer was clinical. Guardiola celebrated for a moment and then gave a lecture to Jesus on some positional issue. Gladbach had the haunted gaze witnessed on many sides facing City, Christoph Kramer seemed particularly concerned as it was his loose pass from which Cancelo created the goal.
City closed the middle and continued on to Gladbach: Foden’s wild shot from an angle from the right ended what had been a 45-minute gallop. In the interval, Rose’s team was glad of the respite and that there was only one behind. However, common sense suggested that the margin could widen as they tire.
Guardiola’s men started the second half without ceasing to squeeze their rivals. Cancelo again led the charge, skidding and feeding Jesus, who ran into a dead end in the area. This is also where Florian Neuhaus got into when he tried to venture past the middle of the road: Silva stalked him in a turn that could only demoralize the midfielder and his colleagues.
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Still, as long as City didn’t walk away, there was a glimmer of hope for Gladbach. Guardiola, who began sporting a stylish coat bearing a club’s crest before scrapping it, was visibly frustrated by his team’s lack of cruelty. Jesús felt the Catalan’s fury when No. 9 wasted time again in Sommer: this allowed Nico Elvedi to recover 10 meters and block the shot.
It was almost costly: only Neuhaus’s ball stopped Alassane Pléa and aimed at Ederson’s goal. The French international was once again disappointed by a heavy ball, this one from Denis Zakaria, but it was one more warning for City. When Plea stepped back a bit, Guardiola’s unease on the touchline grew. But, now, Cancelo found Silva again with a pointed cross: his head butt this time was directed at Jesus, whose shot was from a poacher.
City has still not conceded from the first match against Porto. This was the 12th consecutive away win for an English team. City have a golden opportunity to win their first European Cup.
