Champions League: De Bruyne provides Man City 1-0 edge over Atletico Madrid

Kevin De Bruyne scored the one purpose to provide Manchester City a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid within the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday.

After a decent 70 minutes, City lastly discovered its manner by Atletico’s robust rearguard helped by Phil Foden’s imaginative and prescient. Just 79 seconds after coming off the bench, Foden slid in a high-quality throughball and De Bruyne raced by to fireside in a low shot from a decent angle.

“We knew it was going to be pretty tough to create some opportunities,” De Bruyne mentioned. “The first half was tight, but we didn’t give anything away and in the second half had a couple of chances. It was good that we took one.”

In the evening’s different quarterfinal first leg, six-time European champion Liverpool received 3-1 at Benfica.

Both City and Atletico have reached the Champions League ultimate however have by no means lifted the trophy.

Atletico performed its typical cagey recreation as coach Diego Simeone had promised.

Atletico Madrid’s Renan Lodi, left, jumps for the ball with Manchester City’s Joao Cancelo in the course of the Champions League, first leg, quarterfinal match between Manchester City and Atletico Madrid on the Etihad Stadium, in Manchester, Tuesday, April 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

The first half was performed at a gradual tempo with City controlling a lot of the ball however, regardless of having all of its outfield gamers within the ultimate third at occasions, being unable to create openings.

De Bruyne and Joao Cancelo each had efforts deflected huge and Aymeric Laporte missed the goal with a header.

Ilkay Gundogan shot nicely over and Rodri had a long-range effort blocked earlier than De Bruyne had a penalty enchantment turned down and John Stones additionally missed.

“It is very hard,“ De Bruyne said. “They played almost five at the back and five in midfield, it is very hard to find the spaces.”

It was not till the second half that the hosts tried to inject extra tempo into their play. That did open the sport up barely and Atletico virtually capitalized with a few breaks from deep. Antoine Griezmann wasted one opening with a poor cross and Marcos Llorente chipped tamely at goalkeeper Ederson from one other.

However, City additionally started to threaten extra as Gundogan had an effort deflected huge and Laporte went shut with a header.

Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne celebrates after scoring his facet’s opening purpose in the course of the Champions League, first leg, quarterfinal match between Manchester City and Atletico Madrid on the Etihad Stadium, in Manchester, Tuesday, April 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

City appealed for an additional penalty for a push by Reinildo on Sterling however it was not given. That proved Sterling’s ultimate involvement as supervisor Pep Guardiola took him off within the transfer that modified the sport.

Foden, who got here on alongside Jack Grealish and Gabriel Jesus, teed up De Bruyne for the purpose.

Foden created one other probability for De Bruyne quickly after following a tough run to the byline however this time Atletico had sufficient gamers again to dam.
“The way we played was good because we didn’t give anything away,” De Bruyne mentioned. “You need to be calm and patient, try to find the balls and the spaces because they were compact.”