Etihad Stadium really became the stage to host Manchester City. Bayern Munich were powerless in the first leg of the 2022/2023 Champions League quarter-finals. The victory of three goals without reply became an important capital for The Citizen towards the semifinals. Meanwhile, Die Roten must work hard and expect the hand of Goddess Fortuna in their cage later if they want to turn things around.
Final statistics indeed put the visitors in a winning position. “Ball possession” 56 percent and 12 “shots” belonging to Munich became meaningless with none of the 4 shots on target which led to goals. On the other hand, City, who were not dominant in possession, appeared more effective. This can be seen from the number of “shots on target” and goals scored. Of the 17 attempts, the majority threatened the goal, and three of them became goals.
City’s performance was also entertaining in how every goal was scored. Rodri broke the deadlock after 27 minutes in spectacular fashion. Curved left foot shot so accurately in the top corner of Yann Sommer’s goal. City then gave intense threats, especially in the final 20 minutes of the game. Crucial moments that FC Hollywood could not fully anticipate.
Individual prowess and space maximization skills were demonstrated alternately by Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland. Even the last mentioned player became an integral part of the two goals in the 70th and 76th minutes. Haaland sent a cross which Bernardo Silva headed perfectly. Previously, Haaland got the ball from Jack Grealish who deftly snatched it from Dayot Upemacano.
Six minutes later Haaland showed his class. As admired by many on how he can be so productive and the productivity achieved among them with goals scored making the most of tricky chances. From very few opportunities there was one important moment that occurred at the start of the second half. Former City player Leroy Sane forced Ederson Moraes to make a crucial save.
It should only be admitted that apart from scoring goals, City also has solidity and creativity that deserves thumbs up. Almost all of Pep Guardiola’s chosen players got a good score, much higher than the Munich players. Their midfield with Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Kevin de Bruyne was able to hold off the likes of Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and Kingsley Coman.
At the back, Nathan Ake continued his outstanding season with near-flawless performances to form a force with Manuel Akanji, John Stones and Ruben Dias. Attack line? Don’t ask anymore. Haaland and Grealish are so good.
Haaland marked it with a goal, while Grealish manifested himself in a tireless struggle to show how best to provide assists. Is there a Bayern player who stands out in this match? It’s hard to find one other than Sommer, who, although he conceded three times, was able to avoid conceding more goals.
This word is not in the physical sense but productivity and action on the field of play. Haaland is absolutely terrible. The new goal machine that makes the fans happy. An additional one goal in this match put his name in the history books of the English Premier League.
With a collection of 45 goals scored in just 39 matches in all competitions so far, he has automatically become the player with the highest number of goals scored in one season since the Premier League was founded 30 years ago. Interestingly, Haaland is one of the few players who has accumulated goals against Bayern at the top of the list.
This was his fifth goal in seven games against the Bundesliga giants, having previously netted for Borussia Dortmund. Haaland’s record has surpassed current and former famous players, namely Mohamed Salah from Liverpool and former Manchester United striker from the Netherlands, Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Van Nistelrooy scored 44 goals for the Red Devils in the 2022/2023 season which required 52 matches. Salah scored the same number of goals and needed the same number of games he did in the 2017/2018 season, Haaland has scored one more goal in 13 fewer games. Making many people not hesitate to label him a “monster.” He is so effective and efficient in front of goal.
He can maximize his own potential and opportunities. Ten goals with his right foot, seven with his head, four with his left. Also from various positions starting from outside the penalty box to facing the opponent’s goalkeeper directly in the 12 right kick. Haaland is only 22 years old. He is only one season at the Etihad. A debut that really made people amazed just like Salah in his first year in Liverpool uniform.
The difference is, Haaland is actually having his first season in this competition, while Salah has previously played for Chelsea. Nistelrooy needed to adapt in its first season before it exploded after that. Haaland’s sweet start, who was actually born in England, in Leeds to be precise before moving to Norway at the age of three, clearly raised optimism in City’s body.
He is predicted to be able to break the next records, after no more than a month ago making himself City’s top scorer in a season. The closest is Van Nistelrooy’s record as a Premier League player who scored the most goals in one season in the Champions League. With 11 goals in hand, Haaland only needs one more goal to match Nistelrooy’s score in the 2022/2023 season.
On the other hand, there are question marks. Will he continue to hold that status in the following seasons? The bitter pill has been swallowed by Bayern with the new coach Thomas Tuchel who continues the relay from Julan Nagelsmann who was sacked by surprise. Chasing a three-goal deficit to curb City’s ambitions ended a long wait to become European champions.
Playing at the Allianz Stadium is a spirit booster. However, the final score is determined by other factors as well. Tuchel, who is well aware of his presence, is full of high expectations, has a good track record. If the traces of the past become capital to get through critical times. “It doesn’t feel like 3-0 but it is 3-0. It’s a big job to turn things around but we’re not going to give up,” admitted the former Chelsea coach, according to bbc.com.
City certainly learned from previous seasons, especially when the dream was dramatically disrupted by Real Madrid. Great opportunity to face Madrid again who will fight with another British representative, Chelsea in the same round. Plus Guardiola is very familiar with the atmosphere of German football. His experience of three seasons as Bayern tactician, from 2013 to 2016 is the provision to keep the golden opportunity before our eyes from disappearing.
“It was a great result but I know a little bit what can happen in Munich. If you don’t perform well they can score one, two, three. I know that, the players know that,” said Guardiola. From this match, of course, we can make assumptions. Which way do you think the pendulum will move? Stay with City or will you return to Bayern?
ASL
