Pep Guardiola stated Manchester City have earned their place among the many perennial contenders for Champions League glory after reaching the quarter-finals for a seventh consecutive season on Wednesday. Guardiola may even afford the luxurious of resting a bunch of star names in a 3-1 victory over FC Copenhagen on the Etihad that accomplished a 6-2 combination rout. Goals from Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez killed the tie as a contest inside 10 minutes earlier than Erling Haaland drilled in his twenty ninth objective of the season.

Mohamed Elyounoussi briefly diminished the Danish champions’ deficit to 2-1 on the evening, however Copenhagen had been outclassed over two legs because the European champions stay heading in the right direction for one more treble.

City conquered Europe for the primary time within the membership’s historical past final season, however Guardiola acknowledged his aspect are actually seen as favourites for the competitors forward of the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

The English champions haven’t misplaced a Champions League sport on the Etihad since 2018 and have become the primary aspect within the competitors’s historical past to attain three or extra objectives in 9 consecutive house video games.

“The important thing is being there (in the quarter-finals) seven years in a row, it’s quite impressive,” stated Guardiola.

“We are well-respected from our opponents. The numbers are there – our consistency.

“I keep in mind after I arrived, we did not imagine, the membership did not imagine we may do it as a result of we did not have the hierarchy in Europe like groups in Spain or Germany. It was a query of time, a course of.

“The problem is the managers in modern football don’t have time. They gave me time, our hierarchy, so credit to them to accept the process. Now we are a team that believe we can do it.”

Guardiola confirmed he had one eye on Sunday’s top-of-the-table Premier League conflict at Liverpool as he made seven modifications from the aspect that beat Manchester United on the weekend.

Night off for key trio

Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva had been amongst these to spend the 90 minutes on the bench to relaxation up forward of the journey to Anfield.

But City had been nonetheless a category aside and aided on their means into the final eight by some comical Copenhagen defending.

Akanji made a candy reference to Alvarez’s outswinging nook however was given far an excessive amount of room within the centre of the field to search out the highest nook.

Worse was to come back for the guests as former Liverpool goalkeeper Kamil Grabara let a easy shot from Alvarez slip by way of his grasp.

The 2,500 sturdy visiting help from Copenhagen refused to be downhearted as they saved a flat ambiance on the Etihad going, they usually had one thing to cheer on the half-hour mark.

Former Southampton and Celtic winger Elyounoussi drove ahead with goal and exchanged a slick one-two with Orri Oskarsson earlier than firing into the far nook.

Haaland had been having a quiet evening till he sprang into motion in first-half stoppage time.

The Norwegian was picked out by Rodri earlier than chopping onto his favoured left foot and firing in at Grabara’s close to submit.

That took Haaland’s complete to 41 Champions League objectives, matching the tally of City’s all-time main goalscorer Sergio Aguero, however in simply 37 appearances for 3 completely different golf equipment.

City took their foot off the gasoline within the second interval and will have been punished however for some sensible goalkeeping from Ederson to disclaim Magnus Mattsson.

But Guardiola’s males are rounding ominously into type for these making an attempt to dethrone them in England and in Europe.

City have received 18 and drawn two of their final 20 video games in all competitions and stay the aspect to beat when the draw for the Champions League quarters and semi-finals takes place on March 15.

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