Manchester City eased into the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals as they matched their 3-1 win over FC Copenhagen from last month to progress 6-2 on aggregate.
The holders extended their first-leg advantage within five minutes when Manuel Akanji volleyed home from Julian Alvarez’s right-wing corner.
Alvarez then double the lead on the night and it was a moment to forget for Copenhagen goalkeeper Kamil Grabara, who let a speculative shot from out on the left wing slip through an attempted catch and in.
Pep Guardiola made seven alterations to his City side, casting an eye to Sunday’s blockbuster Premier League clash with Liverpool, and the much-changed XI were picked apart effortlessly as Mohamed Elyounoussi scored a wonderful goal to reduce the arrears.
Man City vs FC Copenhagen final score
| Fulltime | Goalscorers | |
| Man City | 3 | Akanji (5′) , Alvarez (9′), Haaland (45+3′) |
| Copenhagen | 1 | Elyounoussi (29′) |
Lineups:
Man City (4-2-3-1, right to left): 31. Ederson (GK) — 82. Rico Lewis, 25. Manuel Akanji, 3. Ruben Dias (5. John Stones), 24. Josko Gvardiol — 8. Mateo Kovacic, 16. Rodri (21. Sergio Gomez) — 27. Matheus Nunes (92. Micah Hamilton), 52. Oscar Bobb, 19. Julian Alvarez — 9. Erling Haaland.
Copenhagen (5-2-3 right to left): 1. Kamil Grabara (GK) — 22. Peter Ankersen, 3. Denis Vavro, 26. Scott McKenna, 2. Kevin Diks, 19. Elias Jelert (24. Birger Meling) — 10. Mohamed Elyounoussi, 36. William Clem (39. Oscar Hojlund) — 47. Victor Froholdt (8. Magnus Mattsson), 18. Orri Oskarsson (14. Andreas Cornelius), 30. Mohamed Achouri (40. Roony Bardghji).
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Jacob Neestrup’s side played with some expansive ambition thereafter, although Erling Haaland restored City’s two-goal advantage in first-half stoppage time to go level with Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane at the top of this season’s Champions League scoring charts.
Influential midfielder Rodri set up Haaland’s goal with a raking pass and Guardiola had the luxury of taking his key man off at halftime, while youngsters Jacob Wright and Micah Hamilton got run outs during a second half that concluded goalless after another academy product, Rico Lewis, lashed against the crossbar from long range.
MORE: Where to watch Man City vs FC Copenhagen
Is Erling Haaland having a good season?
Sunday’s horror miss in the Manchester derby was the defining image of that game for Haaland, even allowing for the fact that he scored to cap a 3-1 victory. “There’s a lot of things I can become better at, everything,” he said at Tuesday’s press conference before the Copenhagen game. “People say I’m good at scoring goals but I missed the biggest chance in the world ever two days ago. I can also become better at that.
“I missed a lot of chances [this season]. I will still keep on missing chances, I will still keep on scoring goals. I’ll probably miss a big chance in the future as well and people are going to criticise me, but what can I do then? Should I think of that? No, just focus on scoring more goals and help the team.”
It sounds like a pretty ordinary season, especially when you factor in two months out with a foot injury. And yet Haaland is the top scorer in the Premier League and the joint-top scorer in the Champions League alongside Kane and Mbappe. Wednesday’s goal took him to a career haul of 41 Champions League goals in 37 games — level with the total amassed by City great Sergio Aguero.
By his own standards, Haaland might be having an average season. By every other measure, he’s still being pretty ridiculous.
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SIX #UCL goals and counting for Erling Haaland ?
He joins Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane atop the #UCL scoring charts ? pic.twitter.com/dUXofPyY4D
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 6, 2024
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???????? ?????? ??????? ?
The Man City striker has now equalled Sergio Aguero’s goal tally in the #UCL! ? pic.twitter.com/QBVSpkNlEJ
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 6, 2024
Alvarez offers Guardiola solution to Man City’s Anfield dilemma
The Manchester City manager headed into this game in a curious position. He only had two injuries, allowing plenty of rotation, but both of those injuries were to his only specialist left-wingers: Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku. Matheus Nunes filled in on that flank recently and departed this game with a gruesomely dislocated finger.
But the Portugal international hadn’t taken on that problem position. That task fell to Alvarez, who made an impression early on with his set-piece prowess. Although his goal game with a heavy slice of fortune, it underlined the Argentina star’s inclination to always take the positive, aggressive option.
This has made him invaluable to Guardiola amid Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne’s injury woes this season, although he lacks the smoothness of City’s other attacking creators. Slicker operators will be needed in midfield amid the white heat of Anfield this weekend.
However, Guardiola now knows he can deploy Alvarez’s rabid pressing, tenacity and goal threat from the left flank. It would be far from his most left-field selection in a big game, if you’ll pardon the pun.
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That’s one the keeper won’t want to watch back ? pic.twitter.com/N8NrdUyiZh
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 6, 2024
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A finish that a striker would be proud of ?
It’s taken just four minutes for Manuel Akanji to fire Man City ahead! ?#UCL pic.twitter.com/Hmelal6kba
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 6, 2024
Man City vs FC Copenhagen lineups, team news
Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku were both absent, meaning a start for City midfielder Matheus Nunes. Josko Gvardiol returned from a spell on the sidelines to start at left-back.
Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva were all among the substitutes but Erling Haaland was in from kickoff.
Man City (4-2-3-1, right to left): Ederson (GK) — Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol — Kovacic, Rodri —Bobb, Alvarez, Nunes — Haaland.
Man City subs (12): Ortega (GK), Carson (GK), Walker, Stones, Ake, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Gomez, Foden, Wright, Susoho, Hamilton.
Since the first leg, FC Copenhagen had lost key striker Viktor Claesson to injury. Head coach Jacob Neestrup switched to a 5-3-2 formation and first-leg goalscorer Magnus Mattsson had to be content with place on the bench.
FC Copenhagen (5-3-2 right to left): Grabara (GK) — Ankersen, Jelert, Vavro, McKenna, Diks — Froholdt, Oskarsson, Clem — Elyounoussi, Achouri.
FC Copenhagen subs (10): Runarsson (GK), Buur (GK), Sorensen, Mattsson, Larsson, Cornelius, Boilesen, Meling, Hojliund, Bardghji
Man City vs FC Copenhagen live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this Champions League match across selected areas of the world’s major regions:
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| USA | CBS | Paramount+, ViX, Fubo |
| Canada | — |
DAZN
|
| UK | TNT Sports 1 | discovery+ |
| India | — | JioTV, Sony LIV |
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USA: Champions League matches are available to stream on Paramount+ (English). New users can currently get a FREE 30-day trial by entering discount code ‘GOAT’ at checkout.
CBS is showing the match on TV, while ViX is the place to go for (Spanish) subscribers with Fubo offering additional options.
Canada: Every Champions League game streams live on DAZN.
UK: Matches are broadcast on TNT Sports and streamed on discovery+.
India: JioTV and Sony LIV are the live streaming options for this game.
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