Monaco fear no one after ousting City

Loss marks earliest Champions League exit for Guardiola as a manager

When Michael Owen tweeted that Monaco were a “good draw” for Manchester City, the remark raised a few eyebrows in France, and one of the most exciting Ligue 1 teams in years will fear no one when the Champions League quarterfinals draw is made Friday.

Relying on a bunch of hypertalented youngsters, Monaco prevailed 3- 1 on Wednesday to eliminate City on away goals after the tie ended 6- 6 on ag- gregate, pressing and attacking like there was no tomorrow in a breathtaking first half.

Just as in the first leg, which they lost 5- 3 after leading 3- 2, they seemed to run out of steam in the second half but Tiemoue Bakayoko, one of five players to start the game aged 23 or less, headed the decisive goal with 13 minutes left.

It was the first time that a team coached by Pep Guardiola was knocked out as early as the Champions League last 16.

Asked whether Monaco should fear a team in the quarter finals or if they should be feared instead, coach Leonardo Jardim said, “The second option.

“A lot of people thought we could not go through [ after the first leg] but we are a great team. We had already scored three in Manchester.

“We dominated a club who is second in the Premier League. It is time to say that our league is competitive.”

Once again, Monaco, who groomed World Cup winners Lilian Thuram, Emmanuel Petit, Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet, owed their success to homegrown players, with the 18- year- old Kylian Mbappe standing out in the absence of the injured Radamel Falcao.

The forward’s pace was too much to handle for City, and Mbappe put Monaco in the driving seat with a goal after eight minutes, proving a nightmare for the visitors’ defense.

In 17 starts this season, Mbappe has now scored 16 goals and is already at the door of a first France call- up.

“What he does at his age is just huge,” said former France and Monaco winger Ludovic Giuly.