It was at this stage of the season, almost 25 years ago, that the idea emerged that Manchester United could win an unprecedented Treble. The same aura, the same sense of destiny, now hangs around Manchester City as they advance inexorably to the semi-finals and finals and the showdowns that are the elixir of all the greats.
Yes, City took a three-goal lead in the return leg of this Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich, but the way they survived the battalion of passions swirling around the magnificent Allianz Arena and protected their lead to win 4-1 finishing winners on aggregate provided another example of the character flowing through.
Just as United took on the might of Juventus in the semi-finals of the league in 1999, City will face the toughest test in their chance in history next month when they take on Real Madrid in the last four over two draws. The way they beat Bayern last night will only serve them well for that challenge.
Bayern, and their crowd, charged at them last night and Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel became so caught up in the evening’s passions that he was shown a red card for his antics on the touchline. City were simply too good and too strong to succumb. Erling Haaland summed up their strong character.
He missed a penalty in the first half, but responded by putting City ahead early in the second half. It was his 48th goal in a rather remarkable individual season.
City conceded a late penalty which was converted by Joshua Kimmich but the tie was already over by then. They negotiated this ordeal with noise and now they face Sheffield United in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday before the Premier League clash with league leaders Arsenal at the Etihad next Wednesday. They play like no one can stop them.
Tuchel had insisted before the game that it would take a miracle for Bayern to improve City’s lead in the first leg and, given that he had won just two of his five games since taking over last month from Julian Nagelsmann and Bayern limped to a 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on Saturday, few would disagree.
Guardiola, who led Bayern for three years and won three titles here, knew City would only be vulnerable if they started playing against Bayern’s history and their place in German culture. “I’ve been here in Bayern,” Guardiola said on the eve of the game, “and I know the mentality of the club. It’s in the streets. It’s in everyone’s skin and I know they believe they can do it.’
The city manager’s instincts were right. The atmosphere in the stadium in the minutes before kick-off was electric. A giant banner unfurled behind one of the targets read, “With a strong heart you can fight to the end.”
When the start was slightly delayed due to a technical problem, the crowd took advantage and brought the passion to boiling point. On one side of the ground, “Bayern” roared, then on the other, so that a giant echo boomed across the ground, engulfing the City players as they watched the show.
When the whistle finally sounded, Bayern swarmed all over City. City are probably the most technically gifted side in the world. Not much puts them off their rhythm, but Bayern and their crowd succeeded in the first 15 minutes. Kingsley Coman came in behind Nathan Ake down Bayern’s right twice, but his first cross was hit too high by Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and the second was cleared by City’s defence.
City struggled to resist the pressure and Bayern should have taken the lead in the 17th minute. Jamal Musiala found Leroy Sane with a brilliant pass that split City’s defense and Sane ran through with only Ederson to beat. He clipped his shot past the City goalkeeper, but it drifted agonizingly wide of the far post.
It was a huge letdown for City. It felt like a similar moment to N’Golo Kante’s miss for Chelsea early in their game against Real Madrid the night before. For miracles to have any chance of success, such opportunities must be converted. There is no room for debauchery when you are three goals behind.
Minutes later, City thought the tie had definitely gone their way as Haaland raced through and was brought down by Dayot Upamecano. Upamecano was shown the red card by referee Clement Turpin and Haaland celebrated as if he had scored, but then the linesman raised his flag for offside. Upamecano was postponed. The game was still alive.
Ten minutes before the break, City had another chance to get the ball out of reach. Grealish’s shot was blocked by Upamecano and to Bayern’s surprise, the referee awarded City a penalty for handball. After prolonged protest and Leon Goretzka urging the crowd behind the goal to turn up the volume, Haaland stepped up to take the penalty. Haaland doesn’t miss, but he missed this time. He shot his kick high over the bar. A new wave of energy went through Bayern.
Bayern plunged forward again, but what they possessed in spirit they lacked in quality. Again and again their last ball found a City defender. Again and again their shots flew high or wide. In the dying minutes of the half, Coman left Manuel Akanji airborne with a superb spin midway through the City half, but as the ball found its way to Musiala he lacked the confidence and poise to score and after a pinball in the box, City cleared.
Bayern’s energy finally seemed to have waned a little early in the second half and City turned down another chance ten minutes after the break. Grealish broke forward on the left and played Haaland in with the outside of his right foot, but Haaland fired tamely at Yann Sommer. On the other end, Coman got close as his shot snaked under Ederson, but trickled over the target before being cut away.
It was now end-to-end and with their next attack City scored. Bayern left more and more room as they looked with increasing desperation for a way back to the draw and Haaland felt he had room to run to Upamecano who had another torrid night. Haaland skipped past him as if he wasn’t there and swung his shot high past Sommer into the roof of the net. It carried with it all the venom of past misses.
The tie was over. City knew it and Bayern knew it. All that remained were a few details. Tuchel was sent off for his reaction to a foul by Aymeric Laporte and eight minutes from the end Bayern got the equalizer they deserved when Akanji was penalized for handball and Kimmich scored from the spot. By then City knew they had done their job. They knew they had survived. It will strengthen them for the tests ahead.