Manchester City are leading Bayern Munich 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Man City XI: Ederson, Stones, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Rodri, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Silva, Grealish, Haaland
Bayern XI: Sommer, Pavard, Upamecano, De Ligt, Davies, Kimmich, Sane, Goretzka, Musiala, Coman, Gnabry
You don’t expect City to see less of the ball and play fewer passes than their opponents when they’re at the Etihad – or anywhere, for that matter – but that’s been the case so far and it’s the biggest positive Bayern can take from that first half.
Manchester City vs Bayern Munich live updates: Rodri goal puts hosts in front in Champions League match
But despite edging the battle for possession, Thomas Tuchel’s side haven’t converted it into chances and City’s solid rearguard has meant they’ve remained fairly comfortable throughout.
Just one hundred seconds before Rodri bent his stunning goal into the top corner, Dias dug Man City out of a hole.
With Ederson wrong-footed, an effort from Musiala was heading straight for the bottom corner until a heroic piece of blocking from the Portugal centre-back stopped the strike close to its source.
Manchester City vs Bayern Munich live updates: Rodri goal puts hosts in front in Champions League match
Gnabry at false nine hasn’t really worked, especially as City are prepared to defend deep and allow crosses. Sane and Coman started as right-sided wingers but switched flanks after the goal, now offering the solutions to dribble inside and shoot. They have threatened down either side, but need more options to beat Ake and Akanji one-v-one.
Muller — who has acted as Tuchel’s assistant coach — and to some extent Mane, are Tuchel’s options by way of substitutes.
Tonight’s other quarter-final first leg hasn’t been as exciting as this one.
Manchester City vs Bayern Munich live updates: Rodri goal puts hosts in front in Champions League match
Benfica are hosting Inter Milan but there is yet to be a breakthrough with the score tied 0-0 at half-time.
The two teams have had just six shots between them — Benfica with four and Inter with two — at a combined expected goals (xG) total of just 0.31.
A very different City first half to their other Champions League games this season. Just 44 per cent possession — they have had at least 59 per cent in all their other first halves.
Bayern lack a focal point up front and Gnabry is not the one-touch box finisher that Choupo-Moting would be, so City sitting deep — often with Grealish and Bernardo deeper to make a back six and low block on the edge of the area — is a viable tactic, not only to stop Bayern getting through but also to encourage them to play expansively and leave space to be exploited on the counter-attack.
City’s share of long passes (10.8 per cent) is the highest it has been in the opening 45 minutes, too (7.3 per cent average in Europe this season), regularly going long from the back line, often towards left-winger Grealish.
A fairly even game so far albeit with City having the better chances. Ironically their goal did not come from any of them.
Bayern are a major threat but, a bit like City last season, are going to need to get to the byline/back post a lot of times before they score.
Sane tries an audacious effort from distance, and it’s not a bad hit. Ederson isn’t sure whether it’s going wide so he dives, but the ball skips just past the post.
