UEFA Champions League 2016-17: Borussia Monchengladbach 1-1 Manchester City - 5 Talking Points
Manchester City ensured their progress into the last 16 of the Champions League with a 1-1 draw at Borussia Monchengladbach. Despite City controlling the game in the early stages, it was the hosts who led after 23 minutes through Raffael. City, however, found a way back just before half-time, as David Silva turned in Kevin de Bruyne’s cross at the near post. The result – coupled with Barcelona’s 2-0 victory at Celtic – meant that City will finish Group C as runners-up.
Here are the talking points from the game at Borussia-Park:
#1 City wasteful in possession early on
The opening 20 minutes witnessed City dominate possession in midfield – as expected from a Pep Guardiola side. However, the likes of Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva struggled to find the decisive pass through to Sergio Aguero to test goalkeeper Yann Sommer. The Gladbach centre-halves and the sitting midfielders did a decent job of keeping the star striker frustrated. Even wingbacks Raheem Sterling and Jesus Navas were given no space to advance up the flank and create a possible goal-scoring chance.
The Premier League side didn’t seem to show much intent to press Gladbach and seize the early initiative. The sucker-punch arrived soon after, as Lars Stindl beat John Stones in an aerial duel before his low cross was smashed home by striker Raffael to put the German side 1-0 up.