7-2 BAYERN DESTROY SPURS . . . AND FORMER ARSENAL MAN SCORES FOUR!
SUPERSUB STRIKES...THEN FODEN ADDS SOME GLOSS
TOTTENHAM were humiliated in their new stadium last night, capitulating in the second half to suffer a 7-2 Champions League thrashing by Bayern Munich. Ex-Arsenal forward Serge Gnabry struck four times as Spurs fell to the worst home loss by an English team in Europe. Son Heung-min and Harry Kane scored for Spurs but Robert Lewandowski hit two for Bayern and Joshua Kimmich also scored in the crushing defeat.
As day follows night Manchester City prevailed, maintaining the overwhelming sense that this group stage is a formality and that what would really generate some electricity is a Champions League with a knock-out format from start to finish.
It was 50 years ago yesterday that City beat athletico Bilbao on home soil in the first round of what remains their only successful European adventure — the Cup Winners’ Cup campaign which took them past the Poles Gornik Zabrze in a Vienna final.
It was a 3-0 breeze on that Manchester night, yet the spaniards had drawn 3-3 with City in the Basque country and Maine Road bounced to the noise and energy of a breathless second leg.
There was little of that on show last night until Raheem sterling scored ten minutes after arriving as a substitute.
He then laid out the pass from which Phil Foden again signalled the potential which, with only ten minutes of Premier League football this season, remains so desperately unfulfilled.
It is a measure of the tournament’s weakness that dinamo Zagreb, who have won the Croatian league in 13 of the last 14 seasons had managed four points ts in Champions League group games before this season.
The only Croatian creative contribution of significance last night came from the south stand, , behind the banner er proclaiming ‘Purgeri’ — the nickname forr citizenscity’s of Zagreb. City’s fans did not generate much sound. The free tickets offered meant the stadium was nearly full but even the ritual booing of the UEFa anthem lacked much conviction.
The volume lifted after sterling had arrived and turned the game — revealing once again the talismanic qualities which make him future captain material. Guardiola introduced the England forward as he looked for an edge against what was fast becoming a Croatian flat back seven. sterling obliged. Riyad Mahrez, whose contribution in the early stages of this City season has been stellar, wwas the instigator oof the decisive, fivepass move — shifting the ball wide to Ilkay Gundogan, taking it back in space ono the left and delivering for sterling. The forward pounced from close range with a shot deflected off dilaver. ‘When we came here it seems like he didn’t care about the goals. Now it matters,’ said Guardiola of sterling, who has scored 41 times for club and country in the past year.
Foden’s crisp strike, minutes after arriving, illustrated what he can deliver, although Guadiola made no promises of a regular start. He listed the players — Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo silva, Rodri — above the youngster in the pecking order.
‘I know he deserves to play,’ said the manager. ‘ Every time he doesn’t play I am unfair to him. I’m sorry but there it is — I’m sorry but be patient. It is what it is.’
City could have been five up by the interval against a side who initially helped them with a kamikaze pass back through their own ranks which found sergio aguero.
The argentine could not capitalise, driving beyond the goalkeeper after latching onto the error by midfielder Nikolo Moro then driving over the bar, having spun around defender Emir dilaver. aguero took your breath away at times in a first half in which the fluorescent yellows barely broke turf in City’s half.
But there was some serious profligacy from Bernardo silva, twice firing over the bar left-footed when in clear view of goal.
The breakthrough seemed to have arrived just beyond the half hour with a move of seductive beauty — to quote the quality with which Guardiola said his side would turn their fans on to the Champions League.
Rodri’s reverse ball located david silva whose cross Mahrez allowed to run on to Gundogan. The German fired against the bar.
VaR did City few favours. It did not detect a clear handball in the area by Kevin TheophileCatherine moments before david silva placed a shot wide.
Neither did it locate a penalty when dinamo’s giant centre half dino Peric seemed to stand on aguero’s foot in the area.
Guardiola was booked on 70 minutes after remonstrating with the fourth official for what he saw as a Petar stojanovic foul on sterling in the penalty area. The player seemed to have won the ball.
City now face a double header against the modest Italian side atalanta, beaten 4-0 by Zagreb two weeks ago. Early qualification beckons. at least that may presage some football for Foden.