De Bruyne Fires City Advantage at Etihad, Liverpool in Cruise Control

Kevin de Bruyne’s second-half goal gave Manchester City 1-0 victory as they overcame Atletico Madrid’s typically fierce resistance in their Champions League quarter-final first leg at Etihad Stadium.

Diego Simeone’s side performed with their trademark defensive discipline, restricting City to very few opportunities until De Bruyne pounced to make the breakthrough with 20 minutes left.

Phil Foden, on as a substitute, produced the moment of magic to unlock Atletico with a perfect pass through the legs of Reinildo for De Bruyne to slot past goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

It was the decisive moment in the tightest of games but City manager Pep Guardiola’s wild celebration illustrated just how much it means to take a lead, even if slender, to Madrid for the second leg on 13 April.

Elsewhere, Liverpool will take a two-goal lead into the Champions League quarter-final second leg at Anfield but Jurgen Klopp says his side are “not in dreamland” after an important 3-1 victory over Benfica in Lisbon.

Luis Diaz scored late on to put Klopp’s side in control of the encounter but they could have been out of sight were it not for a number of fine saves from Benfica goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.

RESULTS 

Benfica 1-3 Liverpool 

Man City 1-0 Atletico 

TODAY @8pm

Chelsea v Real Madrid

Villarreal v. B’ Munich