CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Hosts pounce on errors to seal place in last eight

City saw off Real Madrid for a second time to claim a deserved place in the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium.

Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus took advantage of Raphael Varane errors to strike either side of a Karim Benzema equaliser and complete a 4-2 aggregate victory over the 13-time winners.

After a gap of more than five months between the two legs of a pulsating tie due to the coronavirus pandemic, City will now go forward to the newlyarranged last-eight tournament in Lisbon next week, when they will face Lyon, surprise winners against Juventus.

Despite the match being played behind closed doors, City looked pumped up from the outset and determined to pull of a repeat of their victory at the Bernabeu in February.

They benefited from two horrendous errors from Varane but their relentless intensity gave the newly-crowned Spanish champions little time to settle.

City manager Pep Guardiola put his faith in Phil Foden to start ahead of veteran David Silva and had a bigger surprise in store by initially deploying the 20-year-old as a false nine.

That meant Jesus pushed out on to the right and the Brazilian immediately made his presence felt by forcing the mistake that led to Sterling’s ninthminute opener.

Real made a mess of an attempt to play out from the back and Varane – whose regular defensive partner Sergio Ramos was a vocal presence in the stands only due to suspension – dwelt too long in possession.

Jesus barged him off the ball and quickly squared for an unmarked Sterling to tap home his 100th City goal.

It was a dream start for the hosts and Sterling went close again soon after.

Real enjoyed a good spell and levelled after 28 minutes. Benzema did the damage with a powerful header after Rodrygo got to the byline.

City refused to sit back in response and Kyle Walker shot over before Courtois got away with an error as a clearance went straight to Kevin De Bruyne but Foden shot narrowly wide.

Courtois made amends for that early in the second half with a fine stop after De Bruyne slipped Sterling in behind the defence with a superb pass.

Courtois was called upon again to keep out a Jesus shot on the turn but he could do nothing after another Varane blunder in the 68th minute.

Varane failed to cut out a long ball forward and then made an ineffective attempt to head back, allowing Jesus to nip in and dink over the keeper.

Silva came on in the closing stages for what was his final appearance at the Etihad and City held firm to advance.

They will meet Lyon next Saturday as Cristiano Ronaldo’s double for Juventus in a 2-1 victory was not enough to stop the Serie A champions suffering a shock last-16 exit on away goals.

Memphis Depay netted the opener for the visitors in the 12th-minute in Turin.

Picture: PA. Gabriel Jesus celebrates his goal with Joao Cancelo and substitute John Stones.