Budapest (AFP)

After Paris SG and Bayern, Manchester City confirmed on Wednesday that they will also have to count on him for the final victory this season in the Champions League, by winning 2-0 "away" in Budapest against Mönchengladbach , in the first leg of the round of 16.

This logical result leaves intact the dreams of the trophy of coach Pep Guardiola, who has always failed with all his teams to win the C1 again after his two triumphs with Barcelona (2009, 2011).

More anecdotal, but significant, the Citizens are only one match of an extremely rare 20/20!

This victory is indeed their nineteenth consecutive success in all competitions, and it has not suffered from any dispute.

Courageous and extremely focused, the players of German coach Marco Rose nevertheless played almost the best possible match.

But City's talent and collective strength left no room for suspense: Bernardo Silva opened the scoring in the 29th minute, before offering the second goal to Gabriel Jesus (2-0, 65th).

Mönchengladbach totaled in 90 minutes ... two shots on goal, only one on target, in added time.

Faced with a hellish schedule, Guardiola had announced his intention to give all the players in his squad a chance.

He had left his Belgian star Kevin de Bruyne on the bench, still short of competition after a long stoppage for injury.

But pillars Sterling and Bernardo Silva, in support of Gabriel Jesus, as well as the fit man of the moment Ilkay Gündogan, were well on the pitch at kick-off.

- "Benfica sector" -

Faced with the best team in Europe at the start of the year, Borussia had chosen for its part to bet on caution and rigor.

The match had been relocated to Budapest (Hungary) due to Covid-19 restrictions in Germany.

"Manchester City are a world-class team, which are at their peak at the moment," Mönchengladbach coach explained ahead of the game: "We will play against of course, but we do not have the intention to swing long balls, we want to play football ".

Very well in place defensively, his players managed for a long time to cut the lines between Gündogan, Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Jesus Gabriel.

But, failing to take offensive risks, they never put themselves in a position to threaten Ederson's goal.

It is the "Benfica sector" of the Citizens who unlocked the counter after half an hour of play, logically.

Portugal's Joao Cancelo, on the left flank, one of the most prominent men in the Manchester eleven, delivered a perfect deep ball for the header of compatriot Bernardo Silva, who cheated on goalkeeper Yann Sommer closely (1-0, 29th).

And as Gladbach began to show a little more daring after the hour mark, Gabriel Jesus killed the game by scoring the second goal of a close to six yards, on a header serve from the inevitable. Bernardo Silva (2-0, 65th).

The virtual assurance of qualifying for the quarter-finals will allow City to fully concentrate on the championship, which they are set to win for the third time in five years.

© 2021 AFP