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Dortmund 1-2 Manchester City: Quarterfinal Curse Broken

By J.C. Gonzalez

Manchester City's English midfielder Phil Foden (L) and Dortmund's German forward Ansgar Knauff vie for the ball during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg football match between BVB Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City in Dortmund, western Germany, on April 14, 2021. (Photo by Ina Fassbender / various sources / AFP) (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images)
Manchester City's English midfielder Phil Foden (L) and Dortmund's German forward Ansgar Knauff vie for the ball during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg football match between BVB Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City in Dortmund, western Germany, on April 14, 2021. (Photo by Ina Fassbender / various sources / AFP) (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images) /
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For the first time in the Pep Guardiola era, Manchester City have advanced to the semi-finals of the Champions League. After three straight defeats at the quarterfinal stage despite incredible domestic success, City were finally able to break their quarterfinal duck with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund at the Westfalenstadion to win the tie 4-2 on aggregate.

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City carried the all-important first-leg advantage, but after Jude Bellingham beat Ederson early on, the Citizens looked set for another heartbreak at the hands of inferior opposition. Unlike previous years with Tottenham and Lyon, the team refused to be held down.

Emre Can gave away a penalty for handball that was dispatched with power by Riyad Mahrez, and from there, City asserted full control. The tie was put beyond all doubt when local hero Phil Foden scored from long range to send City to the semi-finals against Paris Saint-Germain.

No matter what happens in the semi-final, this has been a success for City in Europe this season. After years of losing to inferior teams in the early knockout stage, Guardiola didn’t overcomplicate the system, and City imposed their will on Dortmund. PSG is an incredible team right at City’s level, and it’s a tie that could go either way. The Blues have only played in the semi-finals once before, in 2016, when they were narrowly defeated by Real Madrid.

Next. Manchester City Face Difficult Task in Dortmund and Chelsea. dark

This was a massive moment in the season, and City absolutely delivered. The team was faced with a real test and beat the curse that had been the only stain during this era of unprecedented domestic success. In mid-April, City remain alive in all four major competitions: they are top of the Premier League, are in the Carabao Cup final, FA Cup semi-finals, and now, the Champions League semi-finals. History awaits.