City tied with Lisbon, and reached the quarter-finals of the "Champions" with a result of the "first leg"

Manchester City, last season's runner-up, booked its place in the Champions League quarter-finals for the fifth time in a row and the sixth in the last seven seasons, with a 0-0 draw with its Portuguese guest, Sporting, on Wednesday in the second leg of the final price.

Despite failing to reach the net for the first time since losing in the local league at home to Crystal Palace 0-2 on October 30, City reached the quarter-finals thanks to a sweeping victory away from home with five clean goals, which allowed Spanish coach Josep Guardiola to rest some of his stars in the second leg. .

With Belgian star Kevin De Bruyne, Spaniard Rodri and Algerian Riyad Mahrez on the bench, Guardiola started the meeting with the participation of Brazilian Gabriel Jesus as key in the front, such as Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden. The seniors after the League Cup third round match against Wycombe Wanderers (6-1) last September.

And Ukrainian Alexander Zinchenko, who was very welcome in solidarity with him and his country, which is going through a very difficult period as a result of the Russian invasion, also participated. Guardiola, the second, with the involvement of Mahrez, instead of Portuguese Bernardo Silva, and the other youngster, James Makati (19 years), instead of Foden.

The impact of Mahrez was very fast, as Jesus gifted the goal in the 48th minute, but the referee canceled it for infiltrating the latter after invoking the video assistant referee (VAR).

Despite the continued full advantage and attempts, City was unable to reach the net of Spanish goalkeeper Antonio Adan, and almost paid the price on more than one occasion through counter-attacks, the most dangerous of which was Paulinho in the 76th minute, but the substitute goalkeeper Scott Carson, who entered instead of Brazilian Ederson a few minutes before with the aim of resting the latter Shine and save the situation.

Sporting tried to return from the "Al-Ittihad Stadium" with a moral victory, and pressed in the last minutes, but to no avail.

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