Manchester City advanced to the Champions League quarter-finals with a 5-0 aggregate victory over Sporting Lisbon after a goalless draw in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s side all but confirmed their place in the last eight with their five-star showing in last month’s first leg, allowing them to conserve their energy back at the Etihad.
City did create chances, with Raheem Sterling spurning a one-on-one opportunity in the first half and Gabriel Jesus seeing a goal ruled out for offside by VAR soon after the break, but Sporting defended resolutely otherwise, returning to Portugal with their pride restored.
Pep Guardiola used the opportunity to rotate his side, making six changes from their 4-1 win over Manchester United, with teenager CJ Egan-Riley handed a Champions League debut at right-back.
Jason McAtee, another academy graduate, impressed after coming off the bench at half-time, while there was also a second-half cameo for back-up goalkeeper Scott Carson, who denied Sporting’s Paulinho a winning goal with a fine one-on-one save after replacing Ederson.
City smashed four goals past Sporting in the first half of last month’s first leg but there was understandably less urgency in their play this time around while Sporting also offered stiffer resistance.
Jesus had an early penalty appeal turned down when he was shoved in the back by a Sporting defender following a set-piece, but the visitors proved difficult to break down.
