FC Copenhagen 1-3 Manchester City: Pep Guardiola’s side claim first-leg win

Manchester Metropolis resumed their Champions League title defence with a cheerful victory at FC Copenhagen within the well-known leg of their closing-16 tie.

After Kevin de Bruyne gave Pep Guardiola’s side an early lead it regarded love they would maybe trudge on to claim a massive win as the hosts barely laid a glove on them.

But Ederson talented the ball straight to Copenhagen with a miserable clearance and Magnus Mattsson took elephantine advantage with a good strike.

Bernardo Silva set aside aside Manchester Metropolis forward all all over again correct style before half of-time with a brilliant flick after a ball from De Bruyne deflected through to him.

De Bruyne and Erling Haaland had extra probabilities so that you just may maybe maybe add to the lead after the destroy and, even when Metropolis were no longer reasonably at their attacking simplest, they ensured they left with a two-aim cushion because of Phil Foden’s leisurely strike.

Manchester Metropolis will host Copenhagen within the 2nd leg on Wednesday, 6 March.

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Metropolis glean away from doable banana pores and skin

This became Copenhagen’s first game in two months after football in Denmark became paused for a winter destroy nonetheless Guardiola had warned before the game that they would maybe restful no longer manufacture issues straightforward for his side.

The Danes had beaten Manchester United 4-3 on the Parken Stadium within the Champions League crew stage abet in November, and additionally held Manchester Metropolis to a goalless plot there in 2022.

Guardiola’s side started love a put together, nonetheless whereas they didn’t withhold that momentum they did glean heaps of probabilities to win by a higher margin.

On the opposite hand, ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Kamil Grabara played a key fair in limiting the guests to 2 targets, making appropriate saves to disclaim Ruben Dias early on and Jeremy Doku within the 2nd half of.

But within the closing stages, the guests stepped it up all all over again to make certain they received a wholesome advantage for the 2nd leg and secured it when Foden drove in from De Bruyne’s cutback.

Guardiola waits on Grealish injury

Manchester Metropolis’s early momentum became clearly disrupted by the early departure of Jack Grealish to injury.

The England forward became making his first launch up in six games nonetheless pulled up with what perceived to be a muscle injury after traumatic for the ball with Diogo Goncalves.

Grealish, who overlooked three games in September with a hamstring injury, became then taken off within the 21st minute and Metropolis will most seemingly be hoping the difficulty is no longer any longer as sinful as it on the initiating regarded.