Champions League last 16: Ten-man Manchester City comeback; advantage Atletico
A review of Wednesday's Champions League action as Manchester City fight back to win 3-2 at Schalke and Atletico Madrid take the upper hand against Juventus.
Champions League results
- Schalke 2-3 Manchester City
- Atletico Madrid 2-0 Juventus
Champions League odds: Man City - 11/4 | Barcelona - 4/1 | PSG - 11/2 | Real Madrid - 8/1
UCL favourites Man City leave it late as Sane scores on Schalke return
Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling struck late as 10-man Manchester City snatched a dramatic 3-2 win at Schalke on a night dominated by VAR controversy.
The unfancied Germans turned the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on its head when they were awarded two penalties late in the first half, the first after a lengthy and farcical VAR stoppage.
Both were confidently struck home by Nabil Bentaleb, cancelling out Sergio Aguero's opener, but Sane's stunning leveller against his former club revived City's hopes after Nicolas Otamendi was sent off. Sterling then stole in for a remarkable last-minute winner.
That assured City of the advantage heading into the return at the Etihad Stadium, but fallout from a clash they were expected to win comfortably could rage for some time.
Opta stats
- Raheem Sterling’s goal was Manchester City’s first 90th minute winner in the Champions League since Kevin De Bruyne against Sevilla in October 2015.
- Manchester City are unbeaten in their last eight Champions League games against German opponents (W7 D1), since a 0-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in September 2014.
- Schalke have seen their nine game unbeaten home run in Europe ended by Manchester City (W6 D3 previously), with their last loss before tonight at home coming in February 2016 against Shakhtar Donetsk.
- Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has scored 10 goals in his last seven appearances in all competitions, and is the top goalscorer in the top five European leagues in 2019 (11).
- Since the start of last season, only Cristiano Ronaldo (8) has scored more away goals in the Champions League than Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero (7).
- Leroy Sané has been directly involved in eight goals in his last seven appearances in all competitions for Manchester City (three goals, five assists).
- Nabil Bentaleb has converted each of his 14 penalties in all competitions for Schalke.
- Nicolás Otamendi received his first red card for Manchester City in what was his 161st appearance for the club.
Work to do for Juventus after Atletico defeat
Late goals from Jose Maria Gimenez and Diego Godin saw Atletico Madrid beat Juventus 2-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
The match had appeared to be heading for a goalless draw at the Wanda Metropolitano, before Atleti defenders Gimenez (78) and Godin (83) gave Diego Simeone's side a huge advantage heading into the second leg in Turin on March 12.
That will come as a big relief to the home team, who had earlier seen substitute Alvaro Morata's 70th-minute header ruled out by the Video Assistant Referee for a push on Giorgio Chiellini.
Opta stats
- Atlético Madrid have never lost a home game in the knockout stages of European competition under Diego Simeone (P16 W12 D4 L0).
- Juventus have faced Atlético Madrid more times without winning than against any other opponent in the Champions League (P3 W0 D1 L2).
- Atlético Madrid have kept a clean sheet in all three of their Champions League games against Juventus – the only other side to keep three in a row against them in the competition is Barcelona (all three in 2017).
- Juventus have lost consecutive games in the same Champions League campaign for the first time since October 2014 (0-1 v Atlético Madrid and 0-1 v Olympiakos).
- Since the start of the 2013-14 season, Atlético Madrid have kept 12 clean sheets in the Champions League knockout stages – only Real Madrid (13) have managed more.
- Juventus have been eliminated on each of the previous four occasions when losing the first leg in a Champions League knockout tie, with the last time they were able to progress after a first leg defeat coming in 2005-06 against Werder Bremen.
- Atlético Madrid’s José Giménez has scored two goals in the Champions League this season – he hadn’t netted in any of his previous four campaigns before 2018-19.
- Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci made the 500th appearance of his club career, with 55 of those coming in the Champions League.
Odds via Sky Bet and correct as of 2210 GMT on 20/02/19