Manchester City does not wait for Munich and destroys Bayern (3-0)

In the first match of the most attractive match that the Champions League could give, there are 40 minutes that invite you not to take the transition as dead. They are between Manchester City’s first and second goals in which Bayern (at least Leroy Sané) threatened the shield of Ederson’s goal. The rest of the game consisted of a long warm-up exercise and an exhibition of offensive play orchestrated with the unintended complicity of Upamecano.

The scoring ended at the half hour mark. When the ball ended up in the feet of a 191-centimeter-tall football player with wide hips. A lot of structure to master before he puts leather on his left foot. Rodri is less good; whose history has not recorded a single goal in the Champions League. Details that could diminish the importance of Musiala’s sloppy retreat, which the Spaniard faked, and the extemporaneous reaction of Joshua Kimmich, who took two steps forward half a second later than recommended. Just in time to be the closest witness to the City midfielder’s powerful strike that bridged the gap between the crescent crowning Sommer’s area and his team’s right.

Until this action that opened the account, Bayern had the best chance. A low shot by Musiala that Stones intercepted on its way to the net and made a split. Already after the announcement of the result, City managed to double the advantage with a cross from Kevin De Bruyne, which the defender deflected and served to Gundogan. Sommer, defeated on the grass, raised his leg just enough to avoid the other.

From then until the 70th minute, Sané completed a long exercise of trial and error in which success did not come. The winger switched lanes at will as he adjusted the distance. Before going on vacation, he tried from long range and narrowly missed the goal. As soon as the game resumed, he tried again. He focused better and forced Ederson to stop. Like the third time, already stepping on the front, as a result of a quick transition. And there would also be a fourth, the product of another one of those fast starts with which Tuchel wanted to mess up the game. But the person in charge of blowing up the tactical duel would not be the striker from Essen. The honor (horror, rather) corresponded to one of his companions.

Upamecano, who had already created a mess in his area, solved only because the local attackers paid with an error in definition for every error in clearing, got into trouble trying to start the game. Grealish cleaned the leather and handed it back to Haaland. The striker deflected the shot and decided to assist Bernardo Silva, who hit the opposite post with an unmarked header. 2-0 and the horn call.

From there it was Sommer (who had already been extended by Aké and Rubén Dias) and faced a cyclone lit by real names. That of Julián Álvarez, who made him take off his glove; Rodrijeva again, sending him flying with a header; and that of Haaland, the author of the third. The Norwegian never scored against Bayern, and he pulled out a thorn thanks to Stones, who served him a volley on a platter. A cherry on the City Party at the crossroads that is almost solved.

MATCH SHEET

MANCHESTER CITY (3): Ederson; Akanji, Dias, Aké; Stones, Rodri; Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne (Julián Álvarez, min 68), Gündogan, Grealish; and Haaland.

BAYERN Munich (0): Summer; Pavard, De Ligt, Upamecano, Davies (Joao Cancelo, min. 80); Kimmich, Goretzka; Eat, Musiala (Manés, min. 69), Sané; and Gnabry (Müller, min. 80).

GOALS: 1-0, 27th minute: Rodri; 2-0, 70th minute: Bernardo Silva. 3-0, 77th minute: Haaland.

REFEREE: Gil Manzano (Spain). He warned Bernardo Silva for Manchester City, and Davies and Pavard for Bayern.

Inter force their trade against poor Benfica

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The first match between Benfica and Inter Milan was the Nerazzurri. Despite the prevailing tie in a true tactical battle, strikes from Barella and Lukaku, the latter from the penalty spot, were worth their weight in gold in a match where Italian experience and skill prevailed against a stiff Portuguese side, little recognizable due to the altitude sickness that struck them in this first leg of the quarter-finals .

Almost half a century after the only clash in the European Cup, the 1965 final decided in favor of Inter led by Helenio Herrera and the Galician Luis Suárez, the old rulers of European football in the sixties faced each other. The Eagles put their ball control against a depressed Serie A rival but a trade in the Champions League, which they showed in the Round of 16 against another Portuguese giant, Porto.

The Italians were more direct in their approach to the opposite goal, with less developed football, but Benfica created the first chances, with a very deflected shot by Florentino, and another more dangerous one by Chiquinho. On the other hand, Inter took minimal risks, aware of the convenience of the home game.

All the calmness that prevailed in the first part was blown up in the electric beginning of the second. Bastoni set it to music from afar, and Barella completed the head with great delicacy. An important shot, considering the closeness of the game, but a good reaction from Benfica, who quickly had a chance to equalize, which was avoided by Dumfries behind the stick.

However, with the advantage on the scoreboard, Inter casually looked for a counterattack. Sam Dumfries managed to get the tie on track after another great delivery from Bastoni, but it was Lukaku who scored from João Mario’s penalty.