Manchester City backed up their case as the favourites for this year’s Champions League title with an imperious showing against Bayern Munich at home to send another warning to their competitors.
Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland got on the scoresheet as the home side put one foot in the competition’s semifinals with their 3-0 win.
The final scoreline belies the effort of the Bavarians who matched Pep Guardiola’s side stride-for-stride from the start with the two sides trading dominant periods across the first half.
It all changed in the 27th minute when Rodri unleashed a left-footed curler from outside the box to beat Yann Sommer and open the scoring for the hosts. With momentum on their side, City regularly tested the Swiss international who managed to keep them at bay until half-time.
At the other end, Ederson appeared largely untroubled in dealing with the sporadic chances which fell Bayern’s way with Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake also stifling any progress their forwards made.
Sommer’s hard work came undone in the 70th minute when Dayot Upamecano lost the ball in a dangerous area allowing Haaland to find Silva with a floated cross which he headed home to give his side a two-goal cushion.
With Bayern slipping into their shells, City took just six minutes to add their third with Haaland volleying his English record 45th goal of the season past the keeper to effectively seal their Champions League progress.
Guardiola’s side will look to complete the job on April 20th in Germany which could put them on a collision course with the defending champions Real Madrid, the same side which eliminated them last year.
