The reigning English champions took the advantage on their first opportunity through Riyad Mahrez (1-0, 9th) then Bernardo Silva quickly scored the break goal (2-0, 17th).

Shortly after half an hour, Phil Foden scored in turn (3-0, 32nd) and Bernardo Silva looked like a walk in the first period by scoring twice (4-0, 44th).

In the second act, Raheem Sterling scored the goal of the "manita" and completed the English success in Portugal (5-0, 58th).

Vastly superior to their opponent, City were able to quietly recite their usual score.

By monopolizing the ball and multiplying the variations, the finalist of the last Champions League had no difficulty in finding the faults in the Sporting Lions block.

Silva sees double

Never really worried, the Citizens opened the scoring shortly after the start.

Riyad Mahrez took advantage of a ball pushed back at his feet by Sporting goalkeeper Antonio Adan after a strike from Phil Foden to score his sixth goal in C1 this season after using VAR (1-0, 9th).

A few minutes later, on a corner badly cleared by Matheus Reis, Bernardo Silva triggered a powerful half-volley from the left which violently hit the crossbar before finishing in the back of the net (2-0, 17th).

The joy of Manchester City's Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva, congratulated by his teammates, after scoring the 4th goal against Sporting Portugal, in their Champions League round of 16 first leg, on February 15, 2022 in Lisbon PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA AFP

Untenable on his right wing, Riyad Mahrez went from scorer to passer by sending a good low cross victoriously taken over by Phil Foden in the heart of the Portuguese area for the Sky Blues' third goal (3-0, 32nd).

The team coached by Pep Guardiola has thus honored its goal average this season in the Champions League, with three achievements per game.

Former Benfica Lisbon, Sporting Portugal's great rival, Bernardo Silva scored twice by taking over a center back from Raheem Sterling, the ball being deflected by Gonçalo Inacio before deceiving Antonio Adan (4-0, 44th).

Recital

On returning from the locker room, Silva believed in the hat-trick but the goal from the Portuguese international's header was refused for an offside position with the assistance of the VAR (50th).

Now in management, the current leaders of the Premier League have continued their recital without losing efficiency.

Already author of a hat-trick this weekend against Norwich, Raheem Sterling took advantage of a poor recovery from Adan to send a magnificent curled shot from the left edge of the area which ended its race in the opposite corner (5 -0.58e).

The last goal of a one-sided game.

The joy of Manchester City midfielder Raheem Sterling (2nd d), and his teammates, after scoring the 5th goal against Sporting Portugal, during their round of 16 first leg of the Champions League, on February 15, 2022 in Lisbon CARLOS COSTA AFP

After having made short work of the reigning Portuguese champion, Manchester City's horizon towards the quarter-finals of the C1 is clear.

The return match, scheduled for March 9, should now only be a formality.

© 2022 AFP