It was reported that City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was advised not to warm up due to the adverse conditions, with pools of water in various spots across the Etihad Stadium pitch.
Advertisement
City has had an uneasy relationship with Europe’s elite competition since becoming a regular presence in it from 2011.
But that couldn’t take the limelight from Aguero, who was back in the team amid a three-match domestic suspension for elbowing an opponent during a Premier League game. “It’s not untypical of City”, Moenchengladbach coach Andre Schubert said.
City’s group opener was postponed as a thunder storm caused havoc in Manchester on Wednesday, but it was Aguero who struck twice before half-time against the Bundesliga side.
They are a bit of an unknown quantity in many ways I guess, but the City staff will have done their homework and I expect the team to get off to a winning start in the group.
“The next step with this club is to be there every single season, quarterfinal, semifinal and maybe in the final”, Guardiola said.
“To play with the quality that he has – both feet, intelligence, doesn’t lose the ball, really good when he arrives in the box – he has such a lot of qualities that are going to help us a lot”. In the Premier League, everyone comes here but in the Champions League they don’t. “He was good with Manuel [Pellegrini], he is good with the national team, hopefully he is good with us. With our supporters and their songs, we are stronger”.
City hardly seemed inconvenienced by the 24-hour postponement of the fixture after a torrential thunderstorm on Tuesday. That seriously affected the number in the away contingent, which slumped from 1,600 fans to less than 1,000.
Kelechi Iheanacho – a late replacement for Aguero – added a fourth goal for City, which did its best to keep pace with group rival Barcelona, a day after the Spanish side thrashed Celtic 7-0.
“In three or four weeks are coming the best football player ever (Lionel Messi) with Luis Suarez and Neymar and Barcelona, and we have to enjoy it”, Guardiola said.
“The goal when he went around the goalkeeper, that’s like he’s in the playground”.
Those who did turn up for the Moenchengladbach game would have been happy they made the effort. We are here to create (history) for the people to talk about our club.
Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan was thrilled with his debut for the club during the thrashing of Borussia Monchengladbach.
It’s 21 goals in seven games so far for City, which can only get smoother under Guardiola. They were utterly dominant in that first half.
Advertisement
He poked in the first goal from close range after Aleksandar Kolarov had whipped in a low cross from the left wing.
