Manchester City boss Josep Guardiola spoke about his team’s 3-0 win over Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals, a result that left his side with a strong advantage heading into the return fixture. The coach described the victory as anything but easy, noting the emotional strain of the match and highlighting how demanding the contest was from start to finish. He even quipped that the win felt like a ten-year-old’s triumph, underscoring the intensity of the clash.
The game, staged in Manchester, took place on 11 April and saw City take control with goals from Rodrigo Hernandez in the 27th minute, Bernardo Silva in the 70th, and Erling Haaland in the 77th. The final scoreline reflected a dominant performance by the home side, who demonstrated both clinical finishing and steady defensive organization against a Bayern team seeking a quick away goal advantage.
With the tie still very much alive, the second leg is scheduled for 19 April in Munich. Bayern will be aiming to overturn the deficit, while City can approach the away leg with confidence, knowing they have already put themselves in a strong position to progress to the semifinals.
In parallel with the Manchester City vs Bayern clash, two more quarterfinal ties were on the slate for 12 April at 22:00 Moscow time. Real Madrid were set to host Chelsea, and Milan were scheduled to welcome Napoli, offering the European football calendar another night of high-stakes action as teams push to secure a spot in the final four. The outcomes of these matches would further shape the competition’s trajectory and set up potential clashes in the semis for the most part awaited clubs, as reported in coverage from Daily Mail [citation].
Former Bayern Munich player Joshua Kimmich also weighed in on the outcome of the first leg, sharing his views on the heavy defeat suffered by Manchester City in this quarterfinal tie. His reflections added another layer to the early narrative of the matchup, as pundits and fans alike assessed how City might respond to the setback in the return leg and what it could mean for the team’s prospects in Europe this season. (Daily Mail)