Man City stunned by Club Brugge and were facing Champions League elimination

Manchester City are still in crisis.

Pep Guardiola's side had to win on Wednesday evening to advance to the knockout phase of the Champions League. City have been toothless in Europe this season and their final group stage encounter was no exception.

Club Brugge, who were unbeaten in their last 20 games, came to the Etihad with a swagger knowing City were there for the beating. Spanish striker Ferran Jutglà picked the ball up and drove at the makeshift City backline.

Matheus Nunes, who had been thrown in at full-back, was no match for the Barcelona graduate - who skipped past his challenge and drove for the byline. He picked up his head and picked out an onrushing Raphael Onyedika.

Onyedika turned the ball past Ederson and left City on the brink of elimination.

"Let's be totally honest here: This City team doesn't even deserve the chance of making the last-16 through a play-off. Terribly slow and entirely bereft of ideas," one fan fumed.

"Onyedika looks a player but City players are just jogging, defending like they don’t care," a second said. While a third posted: "If we lose this, it’s only on Pep..."

"Drab half from City. A lot of energy and aggression but they couldn't break through Brugge at all really," a third sighed. And another added: "Not hating on Nunes, work out a way to keep him on the pitch if you’d like but John Stones has to be moved to right back!"

City were on the brink of finishing outside of the top 24 in the Champions League.

However, Pep was able to galvanise his side during the break, with Mateo Kovacic firing City level in the 54th minute. And the 2023 champions were soon ahead, as Club Brugge's defender Joel Ordóñez turned the ball into the back of his own net.

Savinho would net City's third, in a scoreline that flattered City.

However, their Champions League crisis is far from over - with Real Madrid or Bayern Munich waiting in the next round.