A firm strike from Michael Lang gave Basel a well-deserved 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium but Manchester City progress to the last eight of the Champions League thanks to their first-leg victory.
City went into the game with a 4-0 lead and Pep Guardiola rotated his team accordingly. In total the hosts made six changes to the side that beat Chelsea 1-0 on Sunday, with Yaya Toure - who was named captain – and 17-year-old Phil Foden included in the starting line-up.
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola gestures on the touchline during the UEFA Champions League round of sixteen second leg football match between Manchester City and Basel at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on March 7, 20
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But it was the returning Gabriel Jesus – making his first start in 2018 – who grabbed the game’s opening goal after just eight minutes when the Brazilian slotted Bernardo Silva’s cross into an empty net at the back post. It was City’s 100th Champions League goal.
The hosts controlled possession – they had over 70 per cent of the ball - but they looked vulnerable when Basel broke on the counter-attack and Guardiola was left seething when the visitors equalised on 17 minutes. Aymeric Laporte was caught out of position as Mohamed Elyounoussi was left unmarked to convert Kevin Bua’s cross.
The Premier League leaders hadn’t lost a home match in Europe in almost two years but they were left chasing the game when Elyounoussi slipped through Lang who smashed in Basel’s second from a tight angle on 71 minutes. The finger of blame will once again be pointed at City’s club-record £57m signing Laporte who only made a half-hearted attempt to block the shot.
The FC Basel team celebrate victory with there fans after the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Manchester City and FC Basel at Etihad Stadium on March 7, 2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom.
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Substitute Brahim Diaz forced Basel goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik into a good stop late on but City were unable to prevent a first home loss in all competitions since December 2016.
TALKING POINT
City’s second-string disappoint The tie may been have decided in the first-leg, but Guardiola is a perfectionist and clearly wasn’t happy with his side’s performance. The Spaniard was animated for much of the evening, barking orders at his team and the home supporters showed their displeasure as they JEERED their players as the game grew to a close.
City dominated possession but the second-string were flat and played at a slow one-paced tempo for the majority of the match. Indeed, it was an opportunity missed for many trying to stake a claim in the starting line-up and Basel deserved the win.
Kevin Bua of FC Basel holds off pressure from Alexander Zinchenko of Manchester City during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Manchester City and FC Basel at Etihad Stadium on March 7, 2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom.
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Questions will be asked about Toure's inclusion. He came into the starting line-up for only his seventh start this season and while he was as confident as ever in possession, the veteran lacked the energy needed to provide adequate defensive cover as Basel constantly found space in midfield. Record-signing Laporte will also face criticism. Oleksandr Zinchenko’s positional sense has been questioned recently, but Laporte was to blame for both goals.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Mohamed Elyounoussi (Basel) Popped up at the right place at the right time, grabbing a goal and an assist to put City to the sword.
Basel's Norwegian midfielder Mohamed Elyounoussi shoots to score their first goal during the UEFA Champions League round of sixteen second leg football match between Manchester City and Basel at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on Mar
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PLAYER RATINGS
Man City: Bravo 6, Danilo 5, Stones 6, Laporte 4, Zinchenko 5, Gündogan 6, Yaya Touré 5, Bernardo 7, Foden 6, Sané 7, Jesus 7. Subs: Adarabioyo N/A, Diaz 6.
Basel: Vaclik 7, Lacroix 6, Frei 6, Suchy 7, Riveros 7, Zuffy 7, Serey Die 8, Lang 8, Elyounoussi 8, Bua 7, Oberlin 6. Subs: Stocker 5, Wolfswinkel 5.
KEY MOMENTS
8’ - GOAL! Man City 1-0 Basel (5-0 on aggregate) - A great start for City as they take the lead on the night! Foden plays a cushion pass to Sane who is allowed time and space to run across the edge of the box, working the ball wide to B Silva. He fizzes a cross to the back post and Gabriel Jesus is left with a simple tap-in.
17’ - GOAL! Man City 1-1 Basel (5-1 on aggregate) - Something for the visiting supporters to cheer about! And it's a lovely goal, too. Bua is allowed to carry the ball forward and his shot is deflected into the path of Elyounoussi. It falls really kindly for the Basel forward and he fires it, straight as an arrow, into the bottom corner. Bravo had no chance.
71’ - GOAL! Man City 1-2 Basel (5-2 on aggregate) - City haven't lost in nearly two years in Europe, but now they're on the verge of surrendering that record as Basel edge in front on the night! Elyounoussi skips away on the right channel, slipping through Lang. Laporte makes a half-hearted dash to block the shot but doesn't get near it as the Basel forward smashes into the top corner from a tight angle.
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola gestures on the touchline during the UEFA Champions League round of sixteen second leg football match between Manchester City and Basel at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on March 7, 20
Image credit: Getty Images
80' - CHANCE! Better from City. They launch a rapid counter-attack as they work the ball to Diaz. He smashes a low shot from a tight angle but Vaclik gets down low to push it wide.
KEY STATS
Manchester City's defeat to FC Basel ended a 36-game unbeaten run at the Etihad Stadium in all competitions (W29 D7) and was their first defeat on home soil since the December 3, 2016 (1-3 v Chelsea in the Premier League).
City completed 978 passes; the most recorded by a side in a Champions League match since 2003-04 (when we have this data available from), three days after having the most in a Premier League game (902 v Chelsea).
Gabriel Jesus scored his first goal for Manchester City since November 18th 2017, ending a 13-game run without a goal for the club.
Only Sergio Aguero (18) and Kevin De Bruyne (11) have been involved in more goals for Manchester City in all competitions in 2018 than Bernardo Silva (10 - five goals, five assists).
Mohamed Elyounoussi has netted two goals in his last three Champions League appearances - he had failed to find the net in each of his first eight.
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