Holders Manchester City cruised into the Champions League quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory over FC Copenhagen on Wednesday in their round of second leg, a 10th consecutive win in the competition that wrapped up a 6-2 aggregate triumph.
City, who started the game with a two-goal cushion, took care of business early with first-half goals by Manuel Akanji, Julián Álvarez and Erling Haaland.
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With a trip to Liverpool in a top-of-the-table Premier League clash to come on Sunday, manager Pep Guardiola had the luxury of resting key players including Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden, making seven changes to his side that beat Manchester United 3-1 in last Sunday’s league derby.
“Today, I need energy, fresh legs,” Guardiola said. “I know how tired, exhausted some of my players were today … We play on Sunday. So I need fresh legs.”
City are a point behind Liverpool and a point ahead of Arsenal after 27 league games in tight title race. They are also in the thick of the FA Cup, with a quarter-final against Newcastle United on March 16.
“To be part of the titles, we need everyone,” Guardiola said. “For one more year we are in the best eight teams in Europe. Incredibly happy we are still in all competitions.”
Akanji scored with City’s first chance, volleying in Alvarez’s corner in the fifth minute.
“I saw the ball coming. It was perfect for my foot,” Akanji told TNT. “I was really happy about it. It was our aim to score early. The first two goals in the first half made it easier for us. We tried to do our best and did what we had to do.”
Álvarez scored his own four minutes later, thanks to calamitous goalkeeping by Kamil Grabara, who let the City forward’s shot slip through his hands seconds after Rodri pinged an effort off the crossbar.
Former Southampton player Mohamed Elyounoussi pulled one back for the Danish champions in the 29th minute but City’s goal-scoring machine Haaland slotted home a low, hard shot through two defenders seconds before halftime, his 29th goal of the season across all competitions.
Rico Lewis had a late chance for a fourth City goal but his shot hit the bar.
City joined Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain in the quarters, with the final four teams to be determined next week.
“We are a team that believes we can do it,” Guardiola said. “Listen, we’re competing with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. We don’t know who we are going to face. It’s a question of wait and see. The important thing is seven years in a row we are here.”
City will find out their quarterfinal opponents in the draw on March 15.
“We feel good right now,” Akanji said. “We’re confident going into the next round. We are one of the favourites but have to prove it.”
Haaland was taken off late in the game, wrapping 18-year-old substitute Jacob Wright, who made his Champions League debut, in a hug as he left the pitch.
Copenhagen boss Jacob Neestrup believes City can retain their Champions League title.
“They’re going to win it, they are,” he said. “This is just a level up — in everything.
“We have played [City] two seasons in a row and Man City are getting better. They are top players, the structure they have is amazing. It is not just the technical and tactical. They work hard.”
First appeared on www.espn.com