In case you missed it, here are the highlights from Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League action.
If nothing else, Manchester City has been consistent in this season’s Champions League.
The Blues began their European campaign back in September with a poor performance in a loss away to Real Madrid, and followed it up with less than stellar efforts against Borussia Dortmund and Ajax.
So in a way Tuesday’s 1-0 loss to the Bundesliga champions in Germany, a result that knocked the English title holders out of European competition, was more than a little apropos.
It was all set up for City to at least grab a European lifeline and qualify for the Europa League by finishing third in their group. Borussia Dortmund was already through to the next round, so manager Jurgen Klopp fielded his "B team," using only five players who played against Manchester City on Matchday Two.
And when Real Madrid stormed out to a 3-0 lead over Ajax after 49 minutes, it further opened the door for Manchester to walk through – at that point, all the Blues needed was a draw in order to move over to the Europa League.
But while Manchester City put in a professional performance, it was hardly inspiring. In fact, it wasn’t inspiring at all.
To be sure, Dortmund is a quality opponent (even without several of their first-team regulars). But this was hardly "Mission: Impossible." It was a winnable game, especially for a City side rich in world class players and boasting roster depth that most teams only dream about.
What they don’t have in Europe, though, is a will a win and a sense of urgency in their play. They’ve shown it on the domestic front but over the past two seasons they’re work ethic and mental strength have been lacking in European competition.
Questions will also be asked about this team’s character, and rightly so. Going six European matches without a single win? How does a team like Manchester City do that?
Bluntly, the English champions have nobody to blame but themselves for this wretched and forgettable European campaign, and their absence from the Europa League is a blessing, not a misfortune.
– Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 16 goals in his last 15 Champions League appearances.
– Manchester City has just one win (and four losses) in their last five European trips to Germany.
– Prior to Tuesday, Zenit St. Petersburg was winless in their last eight European games away from home (two draws and six losses).
– Anderlecht has just one win in their last 21 Champions League away games (with six draws and 14 losses).
– French teams are winless in their last eight matches against German opposition (three draws and five losses).
– Arsenal has kept just one clean sheet in their last 23 Champions League matches away from home.
– Paris St. Germain is unbeaten in their last 20 European games on home soil (13 wins and seven draws).
– Dinamo Zagreb is winless in four matches in Europe against Ukrainian opposition.
Julian Scheiber’s winning goal for Borussia Dortmund ended Manchester City’s chances of reaching the Europa League:
Paris St. Germain and Porto were already through to the knockout round, so the only thing on the line in this one was first place in the group. But the two teams put on a bit of a show, trading quick goals in the first half before Ezequiel Lavezzi netted the winner in a pretty entertaining second half.
Madrid put three goals past Ajax goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer, but the pick of the litter was the third courtesy of a bit of magic from Kaka. The Brazilian curled a sublime effort from outside the penalty area into the corner of the net in the 49th minute, completing a surging move forward by the Spanish club.
Borussia Dortmund came out flying in the second half as they peppered the Manchester City net with shots. The best chance came in the 54th minute when Kevin Grosskreutz burst into the penalty area and fired a low shot that City goalkeeper Joe Hart did very well to push around the post with his right hand.
Sportsnet.ca contributor Nick Sabetti issues a warning for future opponents of Borussia Dortmund:
Dortmund in front against City. The kind of team you really want to avoid in the knockout stages. #Organized #Deadly #Clinical #Physical — Nick Sabetti (@Nick_Sabetti) December 4, 2012
Dortmund in front against City. The kind of team you really want to avoid in the knockout stages. #Organized #Deadly #Clinical #Physical
— Nick Sabetti (@Nick_Sabetti) December 4, 2012
- Will Manchester City’s failure to qualify for the Europa League cost manager Roberto Mancini his job?
- Can Borussia Dortmund be considered among the top favourites to win the Champions League?
- Which of Tuesday’s third-place teams (Dynamo Kyiv, Olympiacos, Ajax or Zenit St. Petersburg) have the best chance of success in the Europa league?
- How much of a psychological blow will Tuesday’s draw against Olympiacos be for Arsenal?
1) Karim Benzema: He didn’t score, but the Frenchman was at the heart of the Real Madrid attack, and he set up Cristiano Ronaldo’s opening goal to set los blancos on their way.
2) Joe Hart: The Manchester City goalkeeper came up with another inspired European performance, and kept the Blues in the game with a string of great saves.
3) Joe Maria Callejon: The young Spaniard bagged a brace for Real Madrid in the 4-1 win over Ajax.
