Man City had Young Boys thrashed before half-time on Tuesday and their UEFA Champions League group stage campaign is done and dusted after only four games.
Pep Guardiola will prefer to win Group G, but with 12 points out of a possible 12, City will be interested in the knockout stages on January 11 for the eleventh consecutive year.
As they had advanced to the semifinals the previous three years, making it out of their group will be seen as the first little obstacle overcome on the path to greater things, but championship runs must begin somewhere. Watching Guardiola’s squad, it’s easy to imagine that the great teams should always coast through the groups but less than an hour before kick-off at the Etihad Stadium, Barcelona were stunned by Shakhtar Donetsk in Group H.
City is the first club to advance to the Round of 16, and one of only three teams with a perfect record in the group stage this season. Nor would you bet on them being the last team remaining after the June championship game at Wembley Stadium.
“Of course, we are incredibly happy to have qualified with two games left,” Guardiola said. “Yeah, the group stage is simple, they say, but you have to go through it. It’s a fact of life that you have to fulfill obligations when they arise.
“You have to sometimes resist the way that others prefer to see us. What matters is that it occurs when someone says, “We qualify.” We still need to finish top in the group and bring the second leg of the last 16 home. We still have work to do, but the qualification process is complete. I was rather pleased.”
Phil Foden’s goal in first-half stoppage time gave City the lead 2-0, virtually ending the return match after the team had defeated Young Boys 3-1 in Switzerland two weeks before.
Twenty minutes previously, Erling Haaland had already scored a penalty, so Guardiola felt confident enough to substitute Nathan Aké for John Stones. Prior to Sunday’s match between City and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, and Julián Álvarez were all given the evening off.
After leaving the 6-1 victory against Bournemouth on Saturday due to an ankle injury, Haaland wasn’t even expected to come back, but he felt well enough to score a third goal just after halftime. Any chance the Swiss champs had of mounting a comeback was gone at that point, and to drive home the point even more, Sandro Lauper received a second yellow card and was dismissed.
Raphael Wicky, the manager, was relieved to see Haaland leave the field early since his side was down 3-0 and lacked a player. However, Mauricio Pochettino may be grimacing at the prospect of a well-rested Norwegian playing against Chelsea this weekend. Although Haaland hasn’t received the same recognition as he did at this time last year, the 23-year-old has 15 goals in 17 appearances so far this season.
“Whether it’s the six-yard box or 18-yard box, he has the talent,” Guardiola said. “We saw his movements and his level of happiness throughout the Monday training session. He’s fine, he feels wonderful. He played, the work was almost finished, and he rested until Sunday the following week.
“Today, we’re a little lacking in the last touch or move in the 18-yard box—that nice, delicate approach. While the rest was excellent, we weren’t good enough there.
“For many years, this group of players has been characterized by consistency. Because of our excellent standards, we qualified from the Champions League and are now playing in the Premier League.”
The Premier League and the European community are concerned about City’s increasing assertiveness. It’s now five victories in a run after three losses in a row. In September and October, they played six games without a clean sheet; in their previous three games, they have now played two.
Against Young Boys, City had such complete control that the visitors failed to muster a shot on goal. They were unable to even gather a corner. However, City’s home winning streak at the Etihad was extended to 23 games, so there’s no shame in dominating. The only English football team to have enjoyed a lengthier spell in the first division is Sunderland, and they did it more than 130 years ago, from 1890 to 1892.
City, who have won all of their home Champions League games since 2018, always seems to have things easy. Tests will become harder in the future, but they are starting to click.
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