Barca in shock link to Morata
the penalty spot. At least it prompted City to up the tempo from dead slow to slow, forcing a spate of set-piece opportunities that saw Gabriel Jesus and John Stones head against post and keeper respectively and Hoffenheim’s Joelinton testing his own crossbar with a glancing nod.
And sure enough, the equaliser came from a dead-ball situation, Sane’s 25-yard freekick landing for the leveller a fair while ahead of Oliver Baumann’s dive.
From open play, though, City struggled to summon the fluency that has been taken for granted for so long.
If it was going to be recaptured by anyone, it was Sterling. He streaked away to set up Sane for a chance passed up in bizarre fashion but soon plated up another for the same team-mate and, this time, the German tucked in.
Sane’s hug was not just gratitude for Sterling’s assist.
Sane and everyone other City player would have been willing him to score in an entertaining finale but Sterling hooked a volleyed sitter wide.
He crouched with hands clamped to forehead in momentary despair.
But the smile soon returned. The haters might hate but this is what he loves.
And this is what he brilliantly. does ALVARO MORATA could be set to end his nightmare at Chelsea with a surprise move to Barcelona.
The Spain striker’s agents are trying to engineer a move away from Stamford Bridge – and intermediaries have made contact with the Nou Camp club about a possible deal next month.
Barca need cover for former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, who is having stem-cell treatment for a knee problem, and there are doubts about his fitness for the rest of the season.
Munir has proven ineffective in the back-up role to Suarez so far this term, while Paco Alcacer has been allowed to complete a permanent £22million move to Borussia Dortmund.
A loan move for Morata for the rest of the season is the most likely option, with the possibility of a permanent deal in the Sarri hits out: Page 64