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Man City vs Club Brugge LIVE: Hosts qualify for Champions League knockout rounds with win solid win

Man City 3-1 Club Brugge: Pep Guardiola’s side had to win to stay in the competition

Michael Jones
Wednesday 29 January 2025 22:36 GMT
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Manchester City got what they deserved in damaging PSG defeat, says Pep Guardiola

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Manchester City pulled off a great escape to qualify for the Champions League play-off round on tense and nervous evening at the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola’s men came into the match sitting 25th in the league and knew that only victory would be enough to send them into the knockout rounds. Club Brugge, fighting for a place in the next stage themselves, set up with a low block and frustrated City from the start.

The visitors were also lightning quick on the counter attack and were the more threatening side in the first half. Ardon Jashari sent them ahead on the break with a fine first-time strike and City needed to respond.

Pep Guardiola brought on Savinho who was electric and direct. After Mateo Kovacic equalised with a fantastic individual effort, Savinho played a hand in the next two goals – firstly setting up Josko Gvardiol to force in an own goal before bringing down John Stones’ cross and slotting home himself.

With a two-goal cushion, the players, the fans and the manager relaxed and City – by the barest of margins – got the job done.

Relive the updates from the Etihad Stadium in our live blog below:

Pinned

Manchester City averted disaster but their obvious frailties are a cause for concern

A manager defined by finishing first may never be so relieved to come 22nd. Pep Guardiola was 45 minutes from abject humiliation. Twenty months after winning the Champions League, Manchester City were on course to be cast out of it. Embarrassment was on the agenda.

It was averted. Unconvincingly, laying bare more of their flaws, City nonetheless salvaged a play-off place. A comeback forged by Croatians, requiring an own goal but sealed by Savinho, meant they will now face one of the superpowers of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Man City averted disaster but their frailties are a cause for concern

Manchester City 3-1 Club Brugge: Pep Guardiola’s men came from behind to triumph at the Etihad Stadium and secure their place in the next round

Mike Jones29 January 2025 22:20
2 weeks ago

Post-match reaction from Nicky Hayen

The Club Brugge boss admitted that Manchester City deserved to win.

"We are really pleased at how we performed in the group phase," he said.

"In the first half we were really disciplined. We knew there was space at the back of the defenders but we made small mistakes in the second half and they punished us.

"They deserved to win.

"Credit to the group. They executed the plan in the best way possible. We are ambitious. Now we play Dortmund or Atalanta. We can still improve."

Mike Jones29 January 2025 23:00
2 weeks ago

More from Kovacic:

“We were not clinical enough in front of goal [before half-time] and were a little bit soft in the challenges and then conceded.

“But in the second half we came out very strongly, created great chances and scored. That gave us a push to just keep going.

“In the end, we controlled the game very well, scored two more and it could have been more.

“We are very happy with the second half."

Mike Jones29 January 2025 22:48
2 weeks ago

City vs Belgium

Manchester City have won all five of their European matches at home to Belgian teams, scoring 19 goals and conceding four.

Mike Jones29 January 2025 22:43
2 weeks ago

Kovcic sparked the comeback

And was rewarded with the Player of the Match trophy:

Mike Jones29 January 2025 22:40
2 weeks ago

Aston Villa find perfect way to forget about unwanted transfer attention in Champions League thriller

On a night dominated by transfer news surrounding their two leading marksmen, a hat-trick from someone else, Morgan Rogers, was required to fire Aston Villa directly into the last 16 of the Champions League as Uefa netted yet another victory for their shiny new format.

Capping a memorable first league-phase adventure at Europe’s top table since 1982-83, a night full of drama ended with hat-trick hero Rogers, scoring his first three goals in the Champions League, and team-mates huddled around a phone to see if other results had gone Villa’s way.

Aston Villa find perfect way to forget about unwanted transfer attention

Aston Villa 4-2 Celtic: Morgan Rogers’s hat-trick sent Villa straight into the Champions League last 16 but transfer questions remain over Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran

Mike Jones29 January 2025 22:37
2 weeks ago

Kovacic on Pep Guardiola's half-time team talk

The Man City midfielder said: "It was good because we came out very well. We knew we needed to step up.

“In the second half, we showed great character to win and go through.The crowd was behind us so amazing atmosphere today.

"It was important because we knew we are here to go through, we have a good team and we came back from 1-0 down.

“We know we are a great team."

Mike Jones29 January 2025 22:36
2 weeks ago

(REUTERS)
(EPA)
(REUTERS)
Mike Jones29 January 2025 22:33
2 weeks ago

Potential last-16 ties

As for the clubs already through to the last-16.

Liverpool will play Monaco, Brest, PSG or Benfica in the last 16.

Arsenal will play Feyenoord, Juventus, AC Milan or PSV.

Aston Villa will take on Sporting, Club Brugge, Atalanta or Borussia Dortmund.

Mike Jones29 January 2025 22:31
2 weeks ago

Champions League play-off draw

The draw for the play-off round will take place on Friday but we already know the 50-50 ties.

Given where they finished in the league table Celtic or Manchester City will play Real Madrid and the other will face Bayern Munich.

The winner of those ties will take on Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16.

Mike Jones29 January 2025 22:27

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