Rodri struck a wonder goal and Erling Haaland set another scoring record as Manchester City beat Bayern Munich 3-0 on Tuesday to continue their quest for a first-ever Champions League title in their quarter-final first leg.
Rodri put Pep Guardiola’s team ahead in the 27th minute, cutting the ball back to beat midfielder Jamal Musiala and curling a blistering long-range shot into the top left corner beyond the outstretched hand of Yann Sommer.
“I know that this Bayern team is special,” said Guardiola, who managed Bayern from 2013-16. “We got a good result, but we need two strong games. Anything can happen at Allianz Arena. I know that because I was at Bayern for three years.”
“It was very special for me to score my first goal in the Champions League. At that moment we were struggling because they are a great, great team,” Rodri told BT Sport.
“Sometimes we understand we cannot have 80% possession. They play too. We scored three and could score four but it is a great result.”
What had been an evenly matched game turned thoroughly in City’s favour midway through the second half, and Bernardo Silva scored their second in the 70th minute, heading in a cross from Haaland. The Norwegian got a goal of his own six minutes later, striking from close range.
Sommer had a busy night and was pressed into action early, almost gifting Haaland a goal in the 14th minute. Taking too long to clear the ball, the striker bulldozed in and got his foot on the ball two yards from the net, but it flew wide.