City beats Bayern 3-0 in Champions League 1st leg

MANCHESTER: After a 3-0 win against Bayern Munich on Tuesday, Manchester City looks to be cruising toward the Champions League semi-finals for the third year in row.

Even if Pep Guardiola claimed it was a tortuous night watching from the sidelines at Etihad Stadium, it will take a remarkable fightback from Bayern to turn things around in next week’s quarterfinals second leg in Germany.

While Guardiola is trying to keep minds focused, this was a statement performance from the Premier League champion.

Bayern had gone into the game with a 100 per cent record in this season’s competition, with eight straight wins, including victories against Inter Milan, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain — all under former coach Julian Nagelsmann. But the visitor was blown away by City’s attacking power, with goals from Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland the difference on the night.

Inter wins 2-0 at Benfica

Inter Milan got back to winning when it mattered the most. Inter ended its six-match winless streak with a 2-0 win at Benfica in the first leg moving into good position to reach the last four of the European competition for the first time in more than a decade.

Results: Manchester City 3 (Rodri 27, Silva 70, Haaland 76) bt Bayern Munich 0; Benfica 0 lost to Inter Milan 2 (Barella 51, Lukaku 82-pen)