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MANCHESTER — Manchester City kept their Champions League campaign alive by beating Belgian side Club Brugge 3-1 in a nervy must-win match on Wednesday thanks to goals from Mateo Kovacic and substitute Savinho, and a Brugge own goal.
The victory in their league-phase finale secured Pep Guardiola's men a spot in the two-legged playoff knockout round. They finished 22nd in the table, three places above elimination. They face either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the knockout stage.
Brugge players and staff lingered on the pitch for several minutes with phones in hand, watching other results, before finally celebrating 24th place and a spot in the next round.
Man City vs Club Brugge highlights
Brugge, who were lightning quick on the counter attack, punished City and stunned the Etihad Stadium crowd seconds before halftime when Ferran Jutgla easily beat Matheus Nunes before sending in a long cross that Raphael Onyedika smashed into the back of the net.
Raphael Onyedika stuns Man City with his first-ever UCL goal
Man City are currently facing elimination as it stands pic.twitter.com/OP72C0Wf0I— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) January 29, 2025
Mateo Kovacic levelled in the 53rd minute when he dribbled through the heart of Brugge's defence before unleashing a shot from the edge of the 18-yard box into the bottom corner.
There's the @MicahRichards energy we know and love pic.twitter.com/AOpmIeUXN1
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) January 29, 2025
City went ahead nine minutes later when Joel Ordonez slid to block Josko Gvardiol's cross but knocked it into the net, and then Savinho added a third in the 77th minute when John Stones played a pinpoint cross-field ball that the Brazilian chested down before firing it past keeper Simon Mignolet.
Manchester City complete the comeback pic.twitter.com/dwWRb2WbFq
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) January 29, 2025
The control and finish from Savinho
The Brazilian forward scores his first #UCL goal in style ✨ pic.twitter.com/CccSZCN9rL— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) January 29, 2025
"We're happy that we are through now, because it was a tough group stage; for us, was not easy," Kovacic told TNT. "That we are through is the most important, and then whoever comes next will be difficult."
City, who hoisted the Champions League trophy in 2023, paved the way for the nerve-jangling finale with a rocky couple of months that saw them win just three of the eight league-phase games.
Brugge, whose loss ended a 20-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, threatened from the whistle, putting City fans on tenterhooks and sending Guardiola into fits of frustration.
The visitors had a terrific chance in the opening minutes when Christos Tzolis pounced on a misunderstanding between Matheus Nunes and Manuel Akanji to launch a shot.
Ilkay Gundogan had a goal for City chalked off for offside in the 16th minute.
City were better in the second half, and Guardiola's decision to go with Savinho in the second half paid off. He was a key part of Brugge's own goal with his perfectly weighted pass that found Gvardiol.
Man City vs Club Brugge full highlights
(Reporting by Lori Ewing, editing by Toby Davis and Pritha Sarkar)
