Manchester City etched their name in UEFA Champions League history by securing a spot in the quarter-finals with a commanding 6-2 aggregate triumph over FC Copenhagen.
In a remarkable feat, they became the first English club to clinch 10 consecutive victories in the prestigious tournament.
The evening saw Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez swiftly propel Man City to a 2-0 lead within the opening 10 minutes. Despite Copenhagen pulling one back before the half-hour mark, Erling Haaland sealed the victory with a goal in first-half stoppage time, sealing a 3-1 win at the Etihad Stadium.
With the draw for the quarter-finals slated for Friday, March 15th, City eagerly await their next opponents.
Pep Guardiola opted for several changes in the starting lineup, retaining only Ederson, Rúben Dias, Rodri, and Haaland from the triumphant squad against Manchester United on Sunday.
Expanding their commanding 3-1 lead from the first leg in Denmark, Manchester City wasted no time in extending their advantage, with Akanji striking five minutes into the game from an Alvarez corner.
City capitalized on a goalkeeping blunder moments later, as Kamil Grabara failed to secure Alvarez’s attempt, allowing it to slip into the net after Rodri’s header rebounded off the crossbar.
Copenhagen managed to narrow the gap with a goal from former Southampton player Mohamed Elyounoussi in the 29th minute.
However, City responded emphatically just before halftime, with a pinpoint pass from Rodri finding Haaland, who expertly maneuvered past defenders to fire a deflected shot into the net.
This elevated Haaland’s tally to six goals in this season’s Champions League, placing him joint-top scorer alongside Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane.
Celebrating the achievement, Haaland humorously mimicked his recent miss in the Manchester derby by jesting on the pitch.
With their quarter-final berth secured, Manchester City now shifted their focus to the Premier League, gearing up for a crucial showdown against league leaders Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
