Six years later, the Norwegian met Guardiola’s team again: when Elyounoussi defeated the great Man City with FC Basel

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FC Basel struck at exactly the right time. Then the world-class Manchester City team felt far too safe. After the 0:4 in the first leg and the early 0:1 deficit in front of 50,000 fans in the second leg at the Etihad, FCB turned the match around and defeated the world-class team in the round of 16 of the Champions League in their own stadium 2 :1. The match winner six years ago, on March 7, 2018, with a goal and an assist: Mohamed Elyounoussi.

FCB’s exit in the round of 16 was still certain, but the anger was visible on the face of City coach Pep Guardiola. Three days after a win over Chelsea and six days after the 3-0 win over Arsenal, the star coach had to congratulate then FCB coach Raphael Wicky. Once again the Swiss representative irritated an English club; it was one of Basel’s great moments in the motherland of football – and the very last FCB match in the Champions League before the crash.

“I have beautiful memories”

This does not apply to Elyounoussi: after the coup in the spring of 2018, the Norwegian moved to Southampton in the Premier League the following summer. FC Basel collected 20 million francs. Now the now 29-year-old Elyounoussi and Copenhagen will face Manchester City again in the round of 16 of the Champions League. The first leg takes place on Tuesday at the Parken Stadium in the Danish capital (9 p.m.). He reminisces about the great moment with FCB: “I am lucky that I have already played against Man City, even scored and have great memories,” the winger told The Guardian.

Elyounoussi is a team pillar at Copenhagen. And a kind of mentor for the many young talents in the team, including Emil and Oscar Höjlund (both 19), the two brothers of Man Utd striker Rasmus Höjlund (21). It was precisely this Manchester United that Elyounoussi & Co. defeated 4-3 last fall. Partly thanks to a goal by Elyounoussi. The Danes had the upper hand in the group with Bayern, ManUtd and Galatasaray.

Elyounoussi knows Haaland and Akanji very well

Now the currently even bigger Manchester is hosting, Champions League winner ManCity. Elyounoussi knows the opponents very well. On the one hand, superstar Erling Haaland (23), his colleague on the national team. He travels to Denmark with an incredible quota of 40 goals in 35 Champions League games.

And on the other hand, Elyounoussi knows the Swiss Nati defender Manuel Akanji (28). Here is the link back to the great moment with Basel six years ago. In that season he played together with Akanji. The two were on the field during the legendary 5-0 win over Benfica Lisbon and the 1-0 coup against Manchester United in the group stage in Joggeli. In January, Akanji then moved to Dortmund – shortly afterwards Elyounoussi became a match winner at the Etihad.

Source : Blick