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Kevin De Bruyne breaks through red and white wall to earn Man City victory over Atletico Madrid
Resolute Atletico frustrate City for 70 minutes
Substitute Foden tees up De Bruyne goal with sublime pass
City defend one goal lead in Madrid on April 13
Simeone's toddler tantrums provide more entertainment than his Atletico side
When Manchester City at last breached the self-styled baddest, most cussed, most cynical defence in European football it felt like a dam had burst inside the Etihad Stadium. Kevin De Bruyne was the scorer but it was Phil Foden who provided the penetration, just 79 seconds after he came on, and so City take a precious lead to Spain for the second leg of this tense Champions League quarter-final against Atlético Madrid. There were floods of relief.
The dam analogy was right. Atlético constructed a formidable barrier and asked City to break it down and while Pep Guardiola had gone into this tie playfully dealing with questions about whether he overthinks his tactics in this competition he certainly got it spot on here. To score just after making a triple substitution was a vindication for any coach and especially against the anti-Pep, Diego Simeone. But then it helps that you can bring on the likes of Foden who once again looked born for this stage. The problem for City was that the precision of their football demanded perfection against such disciplined opponents and that did not arrive until Foden’s introduction.
An advantage over any Simeone side has added value although the defiance with which the Atlético fans sang at the final whistle suggested they certainly believe it is far from over. It remains tight; desperately tight. It would be no surprise if, in fact, this is the only goal of the tie while Atlético will have to do what they failed to do here when they did not even have a shot, the first time in a decade that has happened in any Champions League knock-out tie.
City meanwhile must factor in the effects of playing Liverpool in that potential Premier League title decider on Sunday before heading to Madrid for what will remain a fraught occasion although it would have been a lot more fraught without the goal.
PHIL FODEN: THE DIFFERENCE. 😍💙 @btsportfootball pic.twitter.com/SbsulzeGKH
— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) April 5, 2022
Guardiola had cheerfully, perhaps optimistically, dismissed suggestions that this was the ultimate clash of styles – and then the game kicked off and Simeone strung five defenders across the pitch in a move that cried: go on try to break that down. It was set out as a 5-3-2 on the team-sheet but, in reality, it was a 5-5-0 and that is never going to be easy especially with uncompromising defenders such as Stefan Savic and Felipe.
At one point Felipe simply hammered a clearance downfield and after briefly admiring his work he turned and sprinted back into his berth. On another, Aymeric Laporte was the furthest City player back and he was standing 15 yards inside the Atlético half. It was that kind of encounter and little wonder that Guardiola looked like he was howling at the (blue) moon with water splattering everywhere as he waved his bottle in celebration when De Bruyne finally scored.
It was the kind of encounter that Simeone tried to reduce. He constantly demanded yellow cards – targeting, in particular, De Bruyne (who was on a caution and would miss the second leg is booked) – while there was a nasty edge throughout such as when Angel Correa fired the ball point blank into the face of another substitute, Jack Grealish, as he lay by the touchline. It was totally unnecessary and Guardiola pulled his player away before he reacted which, of course, was the point of it all.
There is much to admire about the intensity that Simeone demands and how even attacking players such as Joao Felix and Antoine Griezmann acquiesce to his rigid defensive systems. Atlético are not the side that won La Liga last season but the principles – or the anti-principles – remain even if, really, it would have been heartening to see Simeone play more progressive football by now. There are those who champion him as the next Manchester United manager … but they have obviously not watched much of what he wants from Atlético. There is a begrudging admiration but not much to actually love with the high priest of gamesmanship even if his own touchline antics can be quite entertaining.
Both Simeone and Guardiola wore long black puffa coats and were certainly agitated, balls of energy in their coaching, and coiled up tensely as they watched but there the similarities ended. Even so the tie is still alive and Simeone will feel vindicated.
City dominated. Of course they dominated. But they did not really create that many clear-cut opportunities while there were two dangerous breakaways from Atlético early in the second-half that served as a warning.
The statistics told their own story. City had 71 per cent possession, they had 15 shots but they could muster only the one goal which came as Foden’s quick feet created the space with one, two and then a third deft touch as he nutmegged Reinildo with De Bruyne cleverly letting the ball run by his body before shooting low across Jan Oblak and into the net. Foden’s involvement was even more impressive in that he had stood still, allowing defenders to retreat so he could collect Rodri’s pass into him.
Soon after and those quick feet of his allowed him to dribble away from two challenges and although his pull-back was blocked De Bruyne was teed up again with his goal-bound shot on target to beat Oblak before Savic got in the way. A two-goal lead would surely have been enough to give City the belief that they would certainly be going through but it stayed at one.
There were few other opportunities. City crashed against Atlético’s defence with shots charged down and penalty appeals waved away. Oblak scooped out a De Bruyne free-kick and Laporte headed a corner narrowly over but that was it although it may also be enough. Neutrals as well as City fans should hope so.
Manchester City 1 Atlético Madrid 0 as it happened
09:14 PMJames Ducker is also reporting from Etihad Stadium
He kicks every ball does Simeone. At times, he would look down at the white line he had encroached, pause and adjust his feet. You wonder if in those moments he is briefly reminded he isn’t playing any more. The fourth official, Marco Di Bello, actually gave up trying to remind Simeone that he needed to remain in his technical area as he bounded down the touchline for the umpteenth time to remonstrate at yet another decision. Perhaps Di Bello resolved it was akin to telling an exuberant two-year-old to keep his colouring in between the lines - a largely futile exercise.
James Ducker is also reporting from Etihad Stadium
He kicks every ball does Simeone. At times, he would look down at the white line he had encroached, pause and adjust his feet. You wonder if in those moments he is briefly reminded he isn’t playing any more. The fourth official, Marco Di Bello, actually gave up trying to remind Simeone that he needed to remain in his technical area as he bounded down the touchline for the umpteenth time to remonstrate at yet another decision. Perhaps Di Bello resolved it was akin to telling an exuberant two-year-old to keep his colouring in between the lines - a largely futile exercise.
You can read his article in full here.
08:51 PMMan City 1 Atletico 0
Man City 1 Atletico 0
Our football correspondent, Jason Burt, is at the Etihad and his match report will be here imminently.
08:51 PMMan City 1 Atletico 0
Man City 1 Atletico 0
Apologies for the block scoreline glitsch. Should be fixed now.
08:50 PMFull time: Man City 1 Atletico 0
Full time: Man City 1 Atletico 0
After long spells of City probing, on comes Foden to pick the lock with a terrific pass and a fine finish from De Bruyne. Atletico spent the last couple of minutes trying to wind Grealish up and when Ederson hauled Matheus Cunha to his feet to stop him wasting time after another foul on Grealish, he was booked as Simeone argued for a tougher sanction.
08:47 PM90+1 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
90+1 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
Ake holds off Correa's run and sees the ball out safely for a goal-kick,
08:46 PM90 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
90 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
We'll have a couple of minutes of stoppage time after Grealish, who is a magnet for Atletico boots, concedes a foul when he seemed more sinned against than sinning.
08:45 PM88 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
88 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
Foden plays a magnificent pass with the outside of his left foot around Lodi and in to De Bruyne's feet as he ran to the left of the six-yard box. How he picked that pass I'll never know. Cole Sear saw dead people. Phil Foden sees seemingly impossible passes.
De Bruyne, though, can't pick out Bernardo and the block arrives in Foden's path and he sweeps his shot into a defender.
08:43 PM87 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
87 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
De Bruyne glides forward down the inside-left channel and lets rip, ballooning his shot over the bar.
08:42 PM85 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
85 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
Gabriel Jesus gets in the referee's ear over something and nothing and earns the yellow card that will keep him out of the second leg.
08:41 PM83 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
83 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
Grealish is fouled under Guardiola's nose by Vrsaljko and when Britain's most expensive player is sprawling on the ground, Correa wellies the ball into his face. Guardiola shoves both Atletico players and Correa takes a booking. Up springs Grealish who wants to have a pop himself but Guardiola wrestles him away.
08:38 PM82 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
82 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
Joao Felix's race is run. On comes Thomas Lemar.
08:37 PM80 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
80 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
City are thwarted by sheer weight of numbers after Foden scoots in from the right, feinting and accelerating, the ball under his immaculate control. He rolls it back to Bernardo who tees up De Bruyne for a right-foot shot from 15 yards through a thicket of red-socked legs until Savic sticks out a boot to divert it away from goal,
08:35 PM78 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
78 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
Atletico have opened up a bit and send Vrsaljko off down the right but the flight of his cross is expertly read by Ederson who plucks it out of the Eastlands sky.
08:34 PM76 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
76 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
Gabriel Jesus battles Kondogbia for a header and wins it fairly even though Kondogbia tries to gull the referee that he was elbowed.
08:33 PM74 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
74 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
Kondogbia buys a foul off the referee after Rodri muscled him off the ball. Atletico free-kcik 45 yards out that Laporte heads clear, beating Savic to the chip.
08:30 PM72 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
72 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
That was Foden's first touch, And what a first touch it was. Sensational.
08:28 PM71 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
71 min Man City 1 Atletico 0
Rodri slips the pass to Foden, surrounded by four red and white shirts 25 yards out, right of centre. He takes a cushioned touch, then another, then nutmegs the onrushing defender with a wonderful pass down the inside right of the box and De Bruyne draws the keeper and rolls a shot across Oblak and in at the far post.
08:26 PMGOOOOAL!!!
GOOOOAL!!!
Man City 1 Atletico 0 (De Bruyne)
08:25 PM69min Man City 0 Atletico 0
69min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Hard tackle by Rodrigo de Paul on Grealish earns City a free-kick and the midfielder the wrath of the crowd.
08:25 PM68 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
68 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Triple City substitution: Foden, Grealish and Gabriel Jesus replace Gundogan, Sterling and Mahrez.
08:24 PM67 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
67 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Fantastic pass from De Bruyne splits Reinildo and Savic and puts Sterling through into the box. Down he goes under the challenge of Reinildo from the side. City want a penalty but the referee says Reinildo simply stepped across him, which he did. And Var concurs.
08:22 PM65 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
65 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
City are tiring, losing the ball now on occasion and knowing that Atletico are ever poised to counter.
08:20 PM63 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
63 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Laporte slips his marker from the corner but can only reach the cross as he's leaning backwards and cannot keep it down, nodding it over the angle of cross-bar and post.
08:19 PM61 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
61 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Atletico throw-in down by the right corner flag after Matheus Cunha stretched his legs and was caught by the fleet-footed Ake. City defend their lines and work it up the right, Cancelo scoops a lob 25 yards into the box, Felipe sends Sterling flying with a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge and heads it out for a corner.
08:17 PM59 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
59 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Bernardo is penalised for losing his feet and barrelling Griezmann over in a 'tactical foul' beloved by both managers. It was Griezmann's last touch - he is replaced by Angel Correa. Rodrigo de Paul is on for the captain Koke and Llorente departs and Matheus Cunha is sent on in his stead.
08:14 PM57 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
57 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Mahrez is brought down again, this time 35 yards from goal. De Bruyne takes it quickly, sliding the pass down the inside-left. Sterling lets it run across him but his left-foot shot scuds across the six-yard box. Right idea but his angle was all wrong. Atletico are on the threshold of a triple change.
08:12 PM55 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
55 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
The City annex to the wall melts away to the right and De Bruyne drills a low shot through the gap that Oblak spills low to his left but then hooks his leg round while on the deck to clear the danger.
08:11 PM53 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
53 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
City try a routine - Mahrez runs over the ball, De Bruyne dinks it to Gundogan who plays it back to Mahrez to shoot but before he can Lodi smashes him. Free-kick now on the line of the D, just left of centre.
08:09 PM51 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
51 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Bernardo is playing mainly on the left now, swapping positions with Sterling who was out there for most of the first half.
City free-kick, 28 yards out, left of centre after Reinildo's foul on, I think, Mahrez.
08:07 PM49 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
49 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Atletico break again with Joao Felix on the left, Griezmann through the middle and Llorente on the right. Griezmann hares forward and decides to go to his right to Llorente who grabs at the shot and scoops it straight into Ederson's chest.
08:05 PM47 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
47 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
City corner after a wonderful turn from Gundogan in the box and an equally good block from Savic. From the corner, taken to the D, Griezmann pounces on to the loose ball and gallops forward 50 yards but just doesn't have the pace to outrun the pursuing Gundogan and has to lay it off before he's caught, knocking the ball into touch after slipping.
08:03 PM46 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
46 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
No changes as Atletico kick off. A half-time graphic showed that the distance between their back five and the front five was barely 10m at times.
Llorente gets in between Ake and Laporte but looked a mile offside which he was but the flag only went up after Ederson had saved his dragged shot.
07:50 PMHalf-time Man City 0 Atletico 0
Half-time Man City 0 Atletico 0
They shall not pass. Not yet anyway. Atletico have maintained their shape and discipline, smothering City with two banks of five, confident after years of experience that they can successfully defend their 18-yard box and even their six-yard box if necessary. Martin Keown, as you might expect, has raised the question of City's lack of an out and out centre-forward. I'm not sure it would make much difference. Sterling and Bernardo generally make the right runs. But City simply have not been able to break the lines or get round the back so the angles of the crosses coming in are much easier to deal with.
07:46 PM45 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
45 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Atletico have been at their brilliant best defensively so far though, it has to be said, City have not succumbed to frustration and keep trying to pick the lock in various ways. But no clear-cut chances created yet.
07:44 PM44 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
44 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Stones, in the absence of a better option, lets fly from 25 yards but blazes it miles over the bar. Pep Guardiola's arms reach for the sky in frustration.
07:43 PM42 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
42 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
De Bruyne wants a penalty when he hits the deck while running down the inside right on to Rodri's chipped pass between Felipe and Reinildo. But he slipped and the referee tells him to get up.
07:42 PM40 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
40 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
De Bruyne stealthily wanders over to the right in a similar position to the one Cancelo was in a few minutes ago. He, too, hits a first-time cross that, in the absence of a run across the box from Sterling or Bernardo, is gathered by Oblak diving forward.
07:40 PM38 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
38 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Atletico break down the left, work it quickly infield but delay the pass that Llorente was screaming for until he is enmeshed in the City off-side trap. Had Kondogbia pulled the trigger earlier, Llorente would have been in a race with Ake towards the box.
07:38 PM36 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
36 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Cancelo is put down the right by Mahrez's clever reverse pass and, as he approaches the penalty area, fizzes a cross through the six-yard box that Oblak smothers at the near post. Sterling had peeled away to the back stick, not the front.
07:36 PM34 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
34 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
City have had 71 per cent of the possession as they huff and puff but have so far been unable to blow Atletico's house of tungsten bricks, 11 years in the construction, down.
07:34 PM32 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
32 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Atletico attack up the left, Lodi overruns the ball and ruins their momentum when he has to retrieve it. They switch to the right instead but Felipe's 40-yard pass is uncontrollable and goes out for a City throw-in.
07:32 PM30 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
30 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
City corner on the left after diligent work from Vrsaljko to block Sterling's cross. They play it short to De Bruyne who whips it deep with his right foot towards the far post ... and straight down Oblak's throat.
07:31 PM28 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
28 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Reinilod and Lodi are on their mettle tonight, defensively but for all their stripping of possession, their team-mates can't maintain possession for more than a couple of touches.
07:29 PM26 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
26 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Cancelo controls a diagonal switch, turns Reinildo with a dunmmy but his cute pass with the outside of his foot rolls into touch before Sterling has a cat in hell's chance of reaching it.
07:26 PM24 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
24 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Lodi and Kondogbia team up to smother De Bruyne and whip the ball away. Atletico attack up the left with Joao Felix dribbling using his right foot only on the half turn until Rodri darts in to nick the ball off him and he fouls him as he tries to steal it back.
07:25 PM22 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
22 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Atletico keep giving City the ball back then drop back into their defensive lines with a couple pressing. City can't get behind the full-backs.
Joao Felix exploits Cancelo's forward run to bomb forward once Kondogbia had won the ball back but Cancelo made a fine recovery run to get back into his box and tackle him crisply and fairly.
07:23 PM20 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
20 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Two handsome right wing crosses from De Bruyne and Cancelo respectively are fractionally off and Atletico see them off. Guardiola is still encouraging them to pass ever quicker but the two banks of five are devastatingly difficult to infiltrate.
07:20 PM18 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
18 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Fine work from Rodri to win the ball back and then send a pass down the right for Cancelo who snake-hips his way infield before hitting a pass with the outside of his right boot to Mahrez by the touchline. The winger whips over a left-foot inswinging cross that only Vrsaljko's slight ouch takes away from Bernardo and Oblak gobbles up the loose ball before Gundogan can pounce.
07:18 PM16 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
16 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Atletico are kettled in their own half and Griezmann has hardly had a single opportunity to run forward. But it's just how they like it.
07:15 PM14 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
14 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Two penalty shouts by the Manchester City crowd, neither of them justified as Sterling lined up Vrsaljko, diddled and dazzled him but the slipped, just outside the area and then when Bernardo took the ball on by the byline and tried to wriggle past Koke who hooked a leg around him from behind but did manage to toe the ball away before Bernardo fell over the hurdle of his right leg.
07:13 PM11 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
11 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
De Bruyne, a minute after almost being played in down the right of the box before the slick surface defeated him when the ball kicked on into touch, finds some space down the inside-left to leather a shot that Vrsaljko does well to block and send behind for a corner, which Atletico defend solidly.
07:10 PM9 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
9 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
But Joao Felix can't find any space as he's swamped by Gundogan, Ake and Rodri. City make a counter break and Cancelo drives down the inside-right and decides to shoot, cutting his right foot across the ball to make it dip and wobble but Savic blocks it by the penalty spot and Atletico clear.
07:08 PM7 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
7 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Kondogbia catches Cancelo on the side of the foot after the City right-back had spun away from him to lay the ball back. Free-kick but no yellow.
City swing the free-kick in from the right but Atletico manage to half head it clear and then belatedly win the second ball to break.
07:07 PM6 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
6 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Mahrez, Cancelo and De Bruyne just fail to pull off a right-sided triangle to send Mahrez in behind Reinildo and Lodi but he had strayed offside when waiting for De Bruyne's pass.
07:05 PM4 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
4 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Atletico break up the left, giving Llorente a ball to chase into the box. Ake matches him stride for stride and nips ahead to poke the ball out of Llorente's reach and the Atletico midfielder kicks him on the ankle. Free-kick.
07:04 PM2 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
2 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
Ake hits a crossfield pass to Cancelo who works it back to the left-back. Atletico, as ever, hold compact lines and Ake feeds it back to Laporte who chips a pass 50 yards for Sterling to run on to, nipping between Vrsaljko and Felipe but he runs out of room.
07:02 PM1 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
1 min Man City 0 Atletico 0
City players take the knee, Atletico's don't and City kick-off, attacking from left to right. Ake is on the left and Cancelo on the right. It has been raining in Manchester, shock! horror! and the ball is zipping around pleasingly.
07:00 PMPlayers for whom a booking would mean missing the match in Madrid
Players for whom a booking would mean missing the match in Madrid
Joao Cancelo, Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus for City; Geoffrey Kondogbia, Joao Felix, Reinildo and Luis Suarez for Atletico.
06:57 PMThe teams are in the tunnel
The teams are in the tunnel
The banners are unrolling from the top tier and Hey Jude is on the PA.
Atletico are wearing their home shirts and socks with red shorts, City all in light blue.
06:44 PMGuardiola confirms Cancelo will play at right-back
We must be ourselves. Try to do our best performance individually and as a team and then, after that, football is football.
They are champions in Spain, they have had good results in Europe for 10 years. We try to give a good performance and get a good result.
John will play with Aymeric in the centre. Nathan played well in the last game, he has a good left foot so he plays [there, at left-back].
06:33 PMHaving lost two Champions League finals ...
Guardiola confirms Cancelo will play at right-back
We must be ourselves. Try to do our best performance individually and as a team and then, after that, football is football.
They are champions in Spain, they have had good results in Europe for 10 years. We try to give a good performance and get a good result.
John will play with Aymeric in the centre. Nathan played well in the last game, he has a good left foot so he plays [there, at left-back].
06:33 PMHaving lost two Champions League finals ...
Having lost two Champions League finals ...
Ce sont les meilleures équipes
Es sind die allerbesten Mannschaften
The main event
Die Meister
Die Besten
Les grandes équipes
The champions
Diego Simeone said after defeat in the second one in 2016:
Every time we play that competition and hear the anthem, the music brings pain. That’s our motivation.
06:29 PMPermutations
Permutations
BT Sport thinks that Cancelo will play at right-back and Ake at left with Gundogan as the false nine with Bernardo Silva deeper. This is all a bit William Goldman - no one knows anything. I expect they'll send Des Kelly down to grill Stone Island's highest profile model to find out.
Here's what he said yesterday:
I love to overthink with stupid tactics, and if I don’t win I look stupid. Tonight I will take inspiration and do incredible tactics tomorrow. We’ll play with 12 tomorrow
Dang it. If it wasn't for that pesky Uefa, he'd have got away with it.
05:55 PMYour teams in black and white
Your teams in black and white
Man City Ederson; Stones, Ake, Laporte, Joao Cancelo; De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan; Mahrez, Bernardo Silva, Sterling.
Substitutes Steffen, Carson, Gabriel Jesus, Grealish, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Foden, Egan-Riley, Mbete-Tabu.
Atletico Madrid Oblak; Vrsaljko, Savic, Felipe, Reinildo, Renan Lodi; Llorente, Kondogbia, Koke; Griezmann, Joao Felix.
Substitutes Lecomte, Christian, Wass, Hermoso, Ibra, De Paul, Lemarr, Serrano Suarez, De Paul, Suarez, Correa, Lemar, Wass, Correa, Matheus Cunha, Hermoso.
Referee Istvan Kovacs (Romania)
05:49 PMOr that could be a bluff by City
Or that could be a bluff by City
Cancelo could play at right-back, Ake at left-back and Stones in the middle.
05:46 PMCity make three changes
City make three changes
John Stones starts at right-back:
📋 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 📋
XI | Ederson, Stones, Laporte, Ake, Cancelo, Rodrigo, Gundogan (C), Bernardo, Mahrez, De Bruyne, Sterling
SUBS | Steffen, Carson, Jesus, Grealish, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Foden, Egan-Riley, Mbete#ManCity #UCL pic.twitter.com/odYZFItxtT— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 5, 2022
05:42 PMAtleti stick with Griezmann and Joao Felix up front
Atleti stick with Griezmann and Joao Felix up front
Despite Luis Suarez's pair of goals at the weekend:
Your starting XI 👊 pic.twitter.com/X5LOs7vm93
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) April 5, 2022
05:05 PMGood evening
Good evening
Welcome to live coverage of Manchester City's Champions League quarter-final, first leg tie against Atletico Madrid at the Etihad. The two have never met before in European competition but the two managers, who respect each other enormously, as the documentary reviewed via the bullet point above shows, have met on three occasions.
Diego Simeone's first (half) season at Atlético was Pep Guardiola's last at Barcelona and the latter emerged the winner in their only encounter (having beaten Quique Sanches Flores' side 5-0 at Camp Nou before he was sacked). Lionel Messi scored twice, the second a late winner after Radamel Falcao had equalised but the things that really caught the eye that night were the fouls and the gamesmanship. Eleven yellow cards, one of them a second to Arda Turan, punctuated the game with hysterical exclamation marks.
In 2015-16 they met in the semi-final, Simeone's Atléti winning the first leg at home 1-0 and knocking out Guardiola's Bayern Munich with a 2-1 defeat in Bavaria, going through on the away goals rule by virtue of Antoine Griezmann. Since then Guardiola has taken City to three quarter-finals and a final in pursuit of his fourth European Cup (third as head coach to go with the one he won as a player). Simeone has taken his side to two finals but since their last in 2016, they have been knocked out once in the Group Stage (but went on to win the Europa League), twice in the round of 16, once in the quarter and once in the semi-final.
After their December slump, Atléti have won their last six Liga games to move up to third, level on points with Sevilla and Barcelona, and hustled Manchester United out of the competition in the last round. Simeone is not one for radical tactical changes and tonight's strategy will be the one that has served him so well in the past.
"We're going to play where we think we can hurt them," he said. "We're going to use our characteristics, the way we've been playing for years, and continue to compete. But City are a lovely team to watch. What I like most about teams that play well like them is the strength and effort they put in to winning the ball back while continuing to play in an attacking way.
"They have some great players - Sterling, De Bruyne - but what wakes me up is that they run, they pressurise, they are always active. They never leave a lost ball. This work ethic is additional to the talent. All managers want that."
Simeone regards City, along with Bayern Munich, as favourites for the competition but is confident his side can prevail over two legs.
"I have no doubt City have extraordinary players and they have better players than us," he said. "But there are two games to play. Obviously City and Bayern are favourites because of their players but last season Chelsea won the Champions League. Not many expected that."
Kyle Walker is serving the last game of a three-match ban for City who are also without usual team captain Ruben Dias who has yet to recover from a hamstring injury. John Stones pulled out of the England squad a fortnight ago but made it on to the bench for Saturday's victory over Burnley.
The visitors' Yannick Carrasco is also serving the final match of his three-game ban, while key defender Jose Gimenez and Duracell bunny midfielder Hector Herrera are injured. Koke and Angel Correa, who missed the victory over Alaves through suspension, are likely to start.
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