Manchester City advance to the quarter-final of UCL

 

Kevin De Bruyne's blistering strike has set Manchester City on their way to a 2-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach and a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the fourth straight season.

Belgium midfielder De Bruyne unleashed a first-time left-foot shot from the edge of the area that flew in off the underside of the crossbar in the 12th minute, virtually ending Gladbach's hopes of comeback after City won the first leg 2-0 three weeks ago.

Ilkay Gundogan added a second goal by finishing off clinically when brilliantly teed up by Phil Foden in the 18th minute.

The Premier League leaders, who have scored 101 goals this season in all competitions, had no problem securing a seventh clean sheet in a row in Europe to seal a 4-0 win on aggregate.

City have only ever gone beyond the last eight once in nine Champions League campaigns, and never under pep Guardiola since he arrived as manager in 2016.

This might be their best chance given their form - 24 wins in their past 25 games in all competitions - and the fact Guardiola has an injury-free squad at his disposal.

Joining City in the last eight were 13-time champions Real Madrid, who accounted for visitors Atalanta 3-1 to complete a 4-1 win on aggregate.