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Manchester City stunned Real Madrid for a second time to claim a deserved place in the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium.<\/p>\nManchester City stunned Real Madrid for a second time to claim a deserved place in the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium.<\/p>\n
Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus took advantage of Raphael Varane errors to strike either side of a Karim Benzema equalizer and complete a 4-2 aggregate victory over the 13-time winners.<\/p>\n
After a gap of more than five months between the two legs of a pulsating tie due to the coronavirus pandemic, City will now go forward to the newly-arranged last-eight tournament in Lisbon next week, when they will face Lyon.<\/p>\n
Despite the match being played behind closed doors, City looked pumped up from the outset and determined to pull of a repeat of their famous victory at the Bernabeu in February.<\/p>\n
They benefited from two horrendous errors from Varane but their relentless intensity gave the newly-crowned Spanish champions little time to settle.<\/p>\n
City manager Pep Guardiola put his faith in Phil Foden to start ahead of veteran David Silva and had a bigger surprise in store by initially deploying the 20-year-old as a false nine.<\/p>\n
That meant Jesus pushed out on to the right and the Brazilian immediately made his presence felt by forcing the mistake that led to Sterling\u2019s ninth-minute opener.<\/p>\n
Real made a mess of an attempt to play out from the back and Varane \u2013 whose regular defensive partner Sergio Ramos was a vocal presence in the stands only due to suspension \u2013 dwelt too long in possession.<\/p>\n
Jesus barged him off the ball too easily and quickly squared for an unmarked Sterling to tap home his 100th City goal.<\/p>\n
It was a dream start for the hosts and Sterling went close again with a shot that dipped just over soon after.<\/p>\n
Real threatened for the first time when the dangerous Benzema turned Aymeric Laporte on the edge of the area but Ederson beat away his powerful drive.<\/p>\n
Ederson also dealt comfortably with another effort from Eden Hazard, who was passed fit after more ankle trouble, but Real enjoyed a good spell and leveled after 28 minutes. Benzema did the damage with a powerful header after Rodrygo got to the byline.<\/p>\n
City refused to sit back in response and Kyle Walker shot over before Joao Cancelo tested Thibaut Courtois from distance.<\/p>\n
Courtois then got away with an error as a clearance went straight to Kevin De Bruyne but Foden shot narrowly wide.<\/p>\n
Courtois made amends for that early in the second half after De Bruyne slipped Sterling in behind the defense with a superb pass. The keeper reacted brilliantly as Sterling struck left-footed from a tight angle, palming away for a corner.<\/p>\n
De Bruyne threatened himself soon after but was denied by a good challenge from Dani Carvajal before Ederson saved from Benzema.<\/p>\n
Courtois was called upon again to keep out a Jesus shot on the turn but he could do nothing after another Varane blunder in the 68th minute.<\/p>\n
Varane failed to cut out a long ball forward and then made an ineffective attempt to head back, allowing Jesus to nip in and dink over the keeper.<\/p>\n
Sterling wanted a penalty soon after following a challenge by Carvajal but nothing was given.<\/p>\n
Silva came on in the closing stages for what was his final appearance at the Etihad and City held firm to secure their place in the next round.<\/p>\n