MX23RW : Sunday, July 7 07:13:16| >> :120:35351:35351:
[monks data]
Attendance: 54,417
Schalke
Champions League | Round of 16
Feb 20, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
Manchester City logo

2-3

Bentaleb (38' pen., 45' pen.)
FT(HT: 2-1)
Aguero (18'), Sane (85'), Sterling (90')

Laporte impressed by dogged City recovery

Blues fought back from 2-1 down to win 3-2 in Germany.

Aymeric Laporte felt Manchester City demonstrated their battling qualities as they overcame controversy to snatch a dramatic Champions League victory away to Schalke.

Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling struck in the last five minutes as City recovered from a VAR row and a contentious red card to claim a dramatic 3-2 win in the first leg of their last-16 tie at the Veltins Arena.

"Always we keep fighting until the end," said defender Laporte.

"The team have the quality to make these kind of things (happen). We are very happy that we won this game. I think it was difficult. It is not easy playing with 10 guys in the pitch against 11.

View this post on Instagram

#AL14 ✌🏼😉

A post shared by Aymeric Laporte ⓮ (@a.laporte) on

"Now we have to be focused on the next game and the next one, always keep improving and win these kind of games."

City found the going unexpectedly tough against a side sitting 14th in the Bundesliga despite dominating early on and taking an 18th-minute lead through Sergio Aguero.

Schalke controversially drew level with the first of two penalties in the space of seven minutes late in the first half, awarded after a lengthy stoppage for a VAR review.

The referee initially gave a corner after the ball deflected off Nicolas Otamendi but Schalke's claims of handball were eventually backed up by the VAR after a confusing delay of more than three minutes.

Players from both sides remonstrate with Spanish referee Carlos Del Cerro as a VAR review takes place
Players from both sides remonstrate with Spanish referee Carlos Del Cerro as a VAR review takes place (Martin Meissner/AP)

There was no clarity on whether Otamendi had handled deliberately and, adding to the farce, the referee could not review the incident himself as the pitchside monitor was broken.

Nabil Bentaleb scored from the spot, and did so again after a foul by Fernandinho moments later. City's night took a turn for the worse after Otamendi – harshly booked over the penalty incident – was sent off for a second yellow card.

A stunning free-kick from Sane against his former club rescued the situation and Sterling grabbed the winner in the last minute.

View this post on Instagram

☝🏾 High Spirit ☝🏾 #NoGivingUp

A post shared by Raheem Sterling x 😇 (@sterling7) on

City manager Pep Guardiola later played down the VAR rumpus and Laporte was also measured in his response.

He said: "I think it is difficult for the referees. It was bad for us but maybe some day it will be good for us.

"I think (Otamendi) had the hand close to the chest. I don't know but I think the referee can say it is a penalty. I hope in the next game it is going to be better for us with the VAR."

City now move on to the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday hoping to win the first part of what could be a quadruple trophy haul.

Manchester City v Chelsea – Premier League – Etihad Stadium
Sterling scores City's sixth in the rout of Chelsea on February 10 (Martin Rickett/PA)

City thrashed the London outfit 6-0 when they met at the Etihad Stadium earlier this month but midfielder Bernardo Silva says that counts for little now.

He said: "It is a very difficult game, despite the last result, against one of the best sides in the world.

"We are not expecting an easy game and of course we want to win the first trophy of the season."

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Andy Hampson, Press Association Sport, Gelsenkirchen');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', 'f069f64a-1180-462b-8827-7c6dcb5b972b');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:club-news,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'Laporte impressed by dogged City recovery'});

ID:350989: cacheID:350989:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:22588:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Pep Guardiola gets frustrated on the touchline as Manchester City face Schalke 04 in the Champions League on February 20, 2019.
Read Next:
Pep Guardiola has no complaints over VAR as Manchester City edge past Schalke
>
Read more about Aymeric Laporte Football
rhs 2.0
Euro 2024 fixtures header
Tuesday, July 9
 
8pm
Semi-Finals
Spain
vs.
France
Wednesday, July 10
Sunday, July 14
Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Germany Germany32107
Q Switzerland Switzerland31205
3 Hungary Hungary31023
4 Scotland flag Scotland30121

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Spain Spain33009
Q Italy Italy31114
3 Croatia Croatia30212
4 Albania national flag Albania30121

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England31205
Q Denmark Denmark30303
Q Slovenia Slovenia30303
4 Serbia Serbia30212

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Austria Austria32016
Q France France31205
Q Netherlands Netherlands31114
4 Poland Poland30121

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Romania Romania31114
Q Belgium Belgium31114
Q Slovakia Slovakia31114
4 Ukraine Ukraine31114

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Turkey Turkey32016
Q Georgia Georgia31114
4 Czech Republic Czech Republic30121


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!