SUPER CITY JUST GR-EIGHT
MAN CITY.......5 MONACO........3
PEP GUARDIOLA watched his Manchester City side battle back to beat Monaco in the highest scoring first leg in Champions League history — then predicted the goalscoring frenzy will continue in next month’s second leg. City fought back from 2-1 and 3-2 down to win an eight-goal thriller, with Sergio Aguero, John Stones and Leroy Sane striking in an 11-minute blitz. But Monaco have scored 110 goals this season and Guardiola said: ‘If we don’t score we’ll be eliminated. I’d like to see how many teams were able to make a clean sheet against them.’
Maybe this is the game through which Manchester City will finally learn to love the Champions League. For if they cannot now, they probably never will.
There were eight goals scored, and all but the last changed the state of play. Manchester City ahead, Monaco level, Monaco ahead, Manchester City level, Monaco ahead, Manchester City level, Manchester City ahead. and then even further ahead.
It was the first time eight goals had been scored in the first leg of a Champions League tie, and the first in a european Cup tie since Real Madrid beat Swarovski Tirol 9-1 on October 24, 1990.
There is a substantial difference, however, between a one- sided drubbing and this twister of a tie, in which reputations were made and trashed as the energy and balance of power deliriously swirled.
What an occasion it was, what a spectacle. City almost out of europe one moment, appearing stronger than ever the next — 3-2 down with 20 minutes to go, 5-3 up 12 minutes later. and Monaco missed a penalty.
a word of warning, mind you. against a Monaco team with this attacking potential, even two goals clear, no tie is over with 90 minutes still to play. City will have to be at their best in the return. both teams are at their strongest going forward, and 3-1, for instance, would send Monaco through.
Perhaps, after this, City’s supporters will begin to see europe’s greatest tournament as more than a vehicle to vent their anger at UeFa. They were ready to shout conspiracy here, too, after a firsthalf penalty they thought should have been awarded, and one in the second half they thought shouldn’t — they were right about the first, not the second — but they went home happy enough.
and why not? It was the greatest match here since Sergio aguero’s title-winning goal against Queens Park Rangers and, naturally, he was at the centre of it last night, too. Twice he equalised, and also had a hand in the fifth. His opposite number for Monaco will feel more of a mix of emotions. Radamel Falcao scored twice — as many goals as he got in this city for Manchester United in an entire season — but missed the penalty that changed the game. Had it gone in, Monaco would have led 3- 1 and maybe City would have crumbled.
Instead, Falcao’s failure re- energised the stadium in a howl of righteous anger and encouragement. even though Monaco did score again after that, this surge of emotion carried City forward.
It had started well enough, the hugely impressive Leroy Sane shooting over after seven minutes, Monaco’s defensive rock Kamil Glik booked for a foul on him moments later — and out of the return leg. City had already gone close twice when they opened the scoring after 26 minutes.
Raheem Sterling scored it, but Sane’s celebrations were wildest, and justifiably so. It was Sane in midfield, holding off a succession of challenges and keeping the ball under control; Sane who worked the ball to David Silva; Sane who made ground for the return and Sane who struck the cross. Sterling, in a great spot, tucked it away, but Sane was worthy of an assist. about four of them, in fact.
City’s flaws, however, are significant — and one of them is the distribution of goalkeeper Willy Caballero. The problem is Pep Guardiola wants him to be something he is not: good at football.
He had already mislaid several passes when, in the 31st minute, he tried to float one into midfield, failed miserably, and saw the ball mopped up by Fabinho, who laid the ball off, got it back and hit a deep, low cross that Falcao met