Manchester City Crush Schalke 7-0: Reaction & Tweets

Manchester City are in the Champions League quarter-finals for after crushing Schalke 7-0 in the Round of 16 second leg. That made it 10-2 on aggregate.

The Blues had to wait until the 35^th-minute to break the match open with a Sergio Aguero penalty, but City really turned it on with further goals from Aguero and Leroy Sane in a burning seven-minute spell before the break.

Raheem Sterling added a fourth on 56 minutes, Bernardo tucked home Sane’s low cross and local legend, Phil Foden added a sixth on 78 as the Blues ran roughshod.

Gabriel Jesus scored a seventh to complete the Blues’ biggest Champions League victory ever on a night to remember at the Etihad.

Manchester City will learn their QF opponents this Friday when the draw is made.

On to the reaction:

Pep Guardiola Reaction

“It was a clear result,” Guardiola said. “We are happy to get to the quarter-finals.

“We didn’t start that well – we were a bit scared to play – but after it went 1-0, we relaxed and decided to play and be aggressive.

“We started the first 20 minutes to not lose what we achieved in Germany. That was why we didn’t over-attack.

“It was never the intention to be aggressive against the full-backs. It was: let’s not lose the ball.

“We didn’t lose what we achieved and that’s why we didn’t know what to do after the first goal! It was an excellent pass by Bernardo and then Gundogan, and then in the mind of the players, qualification is almost done.

“We played a good level. Of course, with qualification all but secured, it was tough for them and we kept the good level.

“We have a lot of injured players – a lot of central defensive absences – so we want to continue this run and get those players back fit.

“We had just Danilo, who was incredible. He played as a holding midfielder against Chelsea and that is what I like.

“Everyone has to compete with each other to play and they all want to play. Everybody tried to play, be bold and keep going.

“I would have like to be more in the first 20 minutes of who we are, but that was the situation. You cannot expect in 90 minutes to play like that.

“We were solid and we didn’t concede chances. The second half was incredible. We scored seven goals!

“I know Schalke are in a tough period because they lost the last game… but we had to do our job and we did it.

“We were serious and I am incredibly happy to be in the draw for the quarter-finals.

“When I said (before the game) we are a ‘teenage team’ in the Champions League, I did not say: we are not going to fight.

”The best success in the history of the competition for us is the semi-final.

“Comparing that with Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern, they have how many Champions Leagues?

“The teenagers have patience and desire; they are not scary. We are trying to achieve for the second time to achieve for the second time: reaching the semi-finals.

“When people say: ‘you have too many’ in the competition, I don’t like it too much. One game is incredible and you can lose.

“Madrid are out and you see they are having a bad season but it isn’t fair because this competition is incredibly tough with incredible teams.

“We go through to the quarter-finals happy. It is so nice.”

Leroy Sane Reaction

“We tried to do our game. We knew at beginning it would be tough. Didn’t want to concede especially here,” said Sane.

”It was a really good game. We are really happy.

“They stood really firm and compact at the start. We knew what we had to do to find space especially behind the centre backs.

“Everyone could see most of the goals were like that. The goals were really good.

“We did it really good, everyone of us knows what a strong team we are. We try to be really focused to do our game and do all game what we can do.

“(Now we) Try to recover, focus, relax. If we have day off, relax and don’t think about football to calm down. Training, focus, and prepare really good for next game.”

“Every time i come on, I try to enjoy my football,” said Foden.

“To keep focused and keep trying to improve. When goals come, try to enjoy it.

“Learning all the time in the changing room, watching from sidelines. Learning everywhere, being with the team every day. Learning, improving every day.I’m enjoying my football.

“It’s a pleasure to be here.”

Notable Tweets

Next up is an FA Cup match with Swansea then a much needed International Break to recharge ahead of the final stretch of the season. See you then! Come on City!