SO NEAR AND YET SO VAR 4-4 0N AGGREGATE

City Quad bid KO’D in last-gasp ref drama

IT will go down as a classic. But one decided by VAR, as glory turned to despair on a TV monitor.

Raheem Sterling put the ball in the net in stoppage time and Manchester City supporters celebrated one of the all-time great European victories – only to have it snatched away.

At the other end of the Etihad, Spurs fans celebrated a VAR decision as if it were a winning goal, Mauricio Pochettino’s heroes ending City’s Quadruple dreams.

It was in keeping with the topsy-turvy night, the game swinging one way and then the other before Tottenham’s never-say-die spirit took them into the semi-finals.

Sub Fernando Llorente came up with the winner, although there was a lengthy review before it was allowed to stand.

This was the best possible advert for English football. City and Tottenham brought the thrills and spills of the Premier League to the Champions League and broke a record in the process with five goals in the opening 21 minutes – three minutes less than the previous best.

City started it after four minutes. Kevin De Bruyne charged forward before opening up the Spurs defence with a wonderful pass to Sterling, who was given too much space by Kieran Trippier and curled a brilliant 20-yard shot into the far corner.

Pep Guardiola had talked about City’s fans creating a big atmosphere and they did not disappoint, with the roof coming off the place. But they had not seen anything yet.

Four minutes later, it as all square. Christian Eriksen led a charge and when Dele Alli tried to nudge a pass through, Aymeric Laporte made an uncharacteristic slip and Heungmin Son was presented with the ball which he slotted past Ederson, who should have done better.

Laporte, who had been brilliant all season, was at fault again for Spurs’ second, Eriksen and Alli setting up Son to curl a stunner into the top corner. Every time Harry Kane is missing, Son steps up.

That was surely Spurs through and City done. Not a bit of it – not with such bad

defending and both teams going for the jugular. A minute later, Bernardo Silva’s shot was deflected off Danny Rose and in past Hugo Lloris.

Then, on 21 minutes, the first-half goal rush was completed. Kyle Walker appeared to foul Victor Wanyama, the referee gave it the other way and Bernardo released De Bruyne, whose low cross found Sterling at the back post and he made no mistake.

What looked impossible was suddenly back on. City looked vulnerable but kept going forward. Spurs were nervous in defence but dangerous on the break.

Sterling was denied a hattrick by a smart Lloris save and then bettered it with a remarkable one-handed stop to deny De Bruyne.

The pressure was relentless and on 59 minutes Tottenham cracked. De Bruyne drove forward and cleverly played in Aguero to smash a shot past Lloris at his near post. For the first time in the tie, City were ahead.

Incredibly, Tottenham hit back. Trippier’s 73rd-minute corner found Llorente at the near post and he deflected the ball into the net.

There was a suggestion it came off an arm and referee Cuneyt Cakir tortured everyone in the stadium with a lengthy look on a pitchside screen before eventually ruling it came off Llorente’s body and that the goal stood.

There was more drama when Sterling put the ball in the net. But VAR played killjoy for City as Aguero was ruled to have been offside in the build-up.

Sterling (left) thinks he has put City through but VAR call means Llorente’s goal (right) wins it