Pep Guardiola picked a full strength Man City XI to play Sporting in Portugal.
The idea of trying to get the job done in the first leg isn’t likely to be too far from the truth, and his charges responded exactly as he would like.
Riyad Mahrez’s early opener was a little fortuitous as every Sporting player stopped believing there to be an offside.
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Originally ruled out, a VAR review reversed that decision to hand the visitors the advantage.
There was no doubt about the second as a corner was half cleared, and Bernardo Silva smashed the ball home on the half volley.
???? Le but de Riyad Mahrez ! #UCL pic.twitter.com/cqTnUkDrkn
— DZfoot (@DZfoot) February 15, 2022
? Bernardo Silva ?
He’s slammed the ball home right on the half-volley! A tricky technique made to look so easy… ?
Man City are flying! pic.twitter.com/va3h6S9T4c
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) February 15, 2022
Pictures from beIN Sports and BT Sport