Champions League: Man City Advances to Play-offs, Real Madrid and Bayern Secure Wins
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Synopsis
On January 30, Manchester City secured their place in the UEFA Champions League play-offs with a 3-1 victory over Club Brugge. Real Madrid and Bayern Munich also earned wins, positioning themselves for the next stage of the competition.
Key Takeaways
- Manchester City stages a comeback to win 3-1 against Club Brugge.
- Real Madrid finishes strong with a 3-0 victory over Brest.
- Bayern Munich defeats Slovan Bratislava 3-1.
- City will face either Real Madrid or Bayern in the play-offs.
- Rodrygo shines for Madrid with two goals.
Manchester, Jan 30 (NationPress) Manchester City clinched their spot in the UEFA Champions League play-offs following a remarkable second half revival that led to a 3-1 victory over Club Brugge in their final league stage encounter.
This win ensures that City concludes the league phase in 22nd position and will be included in the draw for the Champions League play-off rounds, scheduled for Friday.
Needing a win to stave off an early exit, Pep Guardiola’s team came out strong from the outset but found themselves trailing just before the half-time whistle when Raphael Onyedika shocked the Etihad Stadium.
City equalized eight minutes into the second half with a brilliant solo effort by Mateo Kovacic before Joel Ordonez inadvertently turned a cross from Josko Gvardiol into his own net.
The tension eased further when Savinho added a third, showcasing excellent control and finishing from a perfect cross by John Stones.
This victory secured a place among the top 24, and City will face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich for a chance to reach the last-16.
“Facing Bayern Munich or Real Madrid will be incredibly challenging, but in two weeks, we should have a few players back, including our new signings. We aim to perform well in those matches,” Guardiola remarked.
Meanwhile, Rodrygo scored twice for the second consecutive Champions League match as Real Madrid showcased their attacking prowess, concluding the league phase with an impressive 3-0 victory against Brest.
The Brazilian attacker opened the scoring by skillfully navigating through the Brest defense to find the back of the net via the far post. Jude Bellingham then scored from a counterattack early in the second half, and Rodrygo capitalized on a rebound from Marco Bizot's save to secure Madrid's third goal.
Real Madrid finished 11th in the league phase standings, surpassing Bayern due to away wins.
On a different note, FC Bayern triumphed over Slovan Bratislava with a score of 3-1 in their final match of the Champions League league phase on Wednesday night. Thomas Muller gave Bayern an early advantage, followed by a goal from Harry Kane that doubled their lead after the hour mark.
Kingsley Coman sealed the victory in the closing minutes before Marko Tolic netted a consolation goal for Slovan. Nevertheless, Munich will enter the play-offs aiming for a spot in the round of 16.
