STUNNER FOR CITY AS THEY GO THROUGH
Blues through despite defeat
MANCHESTER CITY’S 15-month, unbeaten home run came to an inglorious end as the favourites slunk into the last eight of the Champions League.
City had not lost at the Etihad Stadium since a 3-1 defeat to Chelsea in December 2016 – a run of 459 days – but Pep Guardiola’s reshuffled side were unable to keep that proud run going as Michael Lang’s late goal won it for Basel.
With City holding a commanding 4-0 lead from the first leg, Guardiola felt sufficiently emboldened to make wholesale changes and give many of his regulars the night off.
Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Nicolas Otamendi and No.1 keeper Ederson were on the bench as insurance, with skipper Vincent Kompany and David Silva not included.
Their collective absence afforded City’s supporting cast the chance to shine.
But they squandered the chance, the reshuffle proving there is a dearth of quality lurking beneath the established order.
Despite City taking the lead through Gabriel Jesus, the runaway Premier League leaders eventually succumbed to one of the weakest sides left in the tournament.
Guardiola made six changes from the side that had beaten Chelsea 1-0 at the weekend, with Claudio Bravo, Danilo, John Stones, Yaya Toure, Jesus and Phil Foden coming into the side.
Yet, City made the perfect start, going ahead after eight minutes.
Leroy Sane embarked on one of his marauding, diagonal runs, the winger finding Bernardo Silva in space on the right. He spotted Jesus lurking at the far post and steered the ball into the path of the City striker, who tapped in to register his first goal since November 18 and his 11th of an injury-interrupted season.
The goal put City 5-0 up on aggregate, but the hosts found themselves pegged back in the 17th minute when lax defending allowed Basel to level.
Blas Riveros charged down the left, his cross coming off Stones and to the feet of Mohamed Elyounoussi.
He was given enough space and time by City’s static defence to pick his spot and lash an assured finish beyond Bravo.
Despite dominating possession and creating chances, City were still vulnerable at the back.
No more so than on the half-hour, when Elyounoussi shrugged off Danilo and was left with Bravo to beat, only to suffer the indignity of an air-shot as he tried to score.
City continued to create chances, Foden spraying the ball around with great assurance. But Guardiola’s reshuffled personnel lacked a clinical edge in front of goal.
Basel seized their chance in the 71st minute, with Elyounoussi finding Lang. He had scored Basel’s late winner against Manchester United back in November – and he sent the ball inside Bravo’s near post for the winner.