Manchester City beat Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday night
Erling Haaland celebrates opening the scoring for Manchester City against Galatasaray
Erling Haaland celebrates opening the scoring for Manchester City against Galatasaray
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Manchester City eased to victory over Galatasaray in their final Champions League match of the league phase - and the result carried them straight into the last-16.
Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki scored in the first half to give Pep Guardiola's side an advantage they never looked like ceding at the Etihad. It was a welcome return to the goals for Haaland, who had not scored from open play in eight games prior to Wednesday's win.
The result was enough to help City into eighth spot in the League Phase table and secure a pass straight into the last-16. It means the Blues avoid a two-legged play-off tie next month. The draw for the play-offs is on Friday with the draw for the last-16 taking place on February 27.
There will only be four possible opponents for City based on their finishing position. City know they will face either Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Bodo/Glimt or Benfica in the last-16. That will depend on who comes through the play-off ties involving those clubs in February.
It was a dramatic evening of action as all 36 teams played. City were as high as fourth at half time but dropped down the table as goals flew in elsewhere. When Sporting Lisbon scored a last minute winner to catapult themselves above City, the Blues were in danger of dropping out of the top eight.
Newcastle and PSG drew 1-1 to ensure neither side could move past the Blues but Real Madrid, trailing 3-2 in the closing stages in Benfica, would have pushed City into the play-offs had they found a late leveller. With Jose Mourinho's men also needing a goal to edge into the top 24 and a play-off, it set up a nervy added time period for those two clubs and City.
Madrid saw two players sent off in stoppage time and Benfica then scored a dramatic fourth when goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin headed in. Ironically those two sides could now face each other in the play-offs with the winners a potential opponent for City.