Roland Bayode Manchester City fought back from a first-half deficit to defeat Club Brugge 3-1, securing their place in the Champions League playoffs after a tense encounter at the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s side risked missing out on the tournament’s top 24 places but responded with a dominant second-half display to overturn an early setback.
Club Brugge stunned the home crowd just before halftime when Raphael Onyedika finished off a well-executed counter-attack, sending Guardiola into the break visibly concerned. With City struggling for rhythm and urgency, changes were needed, and Guardiola responded by introducing Savinho for Ilkay Gündogan.
City’s breakthrough came in the 53rd minute as Mateo Kovačić drilled a low shot past Simon Mignolet to equalize. Just nine minutes later, Josko Gvardiol’s dangerous cross forced Club Brugge’s Joel Ordoñez into an own goal, handing City the lead for the first time in the match. With nerves settling, City controlled the game, and their dominance paid off in the 77th minute when Savinho found the net with a precise finish at Mignolet’s near post.
The relief was evident as Guardiola celebrated his team’s escape from a potential upset. Despite the victory, City’s path forward remains challenging, with the prospect of facing European giants Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the playoff round.
