PEP’S GOT DEM BLUES
Ultimate prize eludes City yet again
MANCHESTER CITY went crashing out of the Champions League after Moussa Dembele came off the bench to stun Pep Guardiola’s men with two late goals.
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The 23- year- old former Fulham and Celtic striker, s dumped Guardiola from the compet competition he covets most of all – just as the Blue Blues looked like they would go on to win it.
City l looked like they would steamroller the Fren French underdogs in the closing stages after Ke Kevin De Bruyne fired home a brilliant 69th-mi 69th-minute equaliser.
They had trailed to Maxwel Cornet’s firsthalf effort, effo but grew into the game after Guardio Guardiola changed his tactics. However, Dembel Dembele got a huge break to put Lyon back in front 11 minutes from time. He appeared to trip City defender Aymeric Laporte before bursting clear and sending a shot into the net off keeper Ederson.
Lyon had been unhappy with the appointment of Dutch referee Danny Makkelie – but the goal was allowed to stand.
Raheem Sterling then sent a close-range effort over when he should have equalised.
And seconds later, Dembele sealed the deal by shooting home after Ederson had spilled Houssem Aouar’s weak shot.
Lyon and boss Rudi Garcia (right) now face Bayern Munich in the semi-finals.
Guardiola must now address another Champions League failure – and the Catalan must shoulder most of the blame.
The City boss has often been accused to overthinking the occasion in the latter stages of the competition.
So it should have come as no surprise when he threw another curve ball by putting his faith in a line-up he had never picked before.
Teenage defender Eric Garcia started – despite telling the club last week he won’t be signing a new contract because he wants to go back to Barcelona.
The Spaniard was in the centre of a back three that also included Lapor te and Fernandinho.
Right-back Joao Cancelo was chosen on the left, while Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan anchored the midfield. That gave De Bruyne the freedom to attack alongside
Sterling and Gabriel Jesus. It seemed Guardiola was taking no chances on City being countered Memphis Depay’s pace.
City have never gone beyond the last four – and Guardiola has failed to take them beyond the quarter-finals in four attempts. It was clear their spark was missing. Cancelo’s smart pass found Sterling escaping down the left, but his cross was cut out by Fernando Marcal with Jesus waiting to pounce.
It was a cagey opening from both teams, with City struggling to get their usual grip on possession.
Then, after 24 minutes, Marcal’s long ball showed why Guardiola was right to be concerned about Lyon’s speed on the break.
The straining Garcia managed to get in a last- ditch challenge to halt Karl Toko Ekambi, but the ball broke to Cornet. He spotted Ederson had advanced to the edge of his box and produced a wonderful curling finish from 25 yards.
The young Ivorian scored three goals in two group games against City last season.
Yet even the shock of falling behind failed to stir the Blues.
It took 41 minutes to genuinely threaten Anthony Lopes’ goal, the Lyon keeper saving Rodri’s shot with ease after Sterling had pulled the ball back from the right.
Sterling was then denied by Cornet’s sliding block after Cancelo had fed him with a delicious pass with the outside of his foot.
With City still struggling to get a foothold, Guardiola made a change 10 minutes after the break. Riyad Mahrez replaced Fernandinho and reverted to a back four.
De Bruyne immediately forced Lopes into a flying save with a whipped free-kick. And he sent another set-piece effort too high. But City were finally looking like the team that had won back-to-back titles in the two previous seasons. And it needed a fine block by former City defender Jason Denayer to thwart De Bruyne after the Belgian finally found some space to burst forwards.
When De Bruyne did find his range, he delivered a drive into the bottom corner.
It seemed City would go on to win – yet it was Lyon who found the courage to do it.