Manchester City who slipped to their first home defeat in the UEFA Champions League since December 2016 have broken the Champions League record for passes completed in a game - 978 - despite losing. This was three days after breaking the league landmark with 902 against Chelsea.

City's 4-0 away win meant Wednesday's second leg of the last-16 tie was almost a formality, with Pep Guardiola resting several first-team players as Basel won the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie 2-1.

It was not enough to prevent Pep Guardiola's side progressing to the quarter-finals, with Gabriel Jesus' early goal helping them to an overall 5-2 aggregate success - but it was still an unexpected slip.

Jesus put the Premier League leaders ahead inside eight minutes but the Swiss champions responded to take victory on the night with goals from the impressive Mohamed Elyounoussi and Michael Lang.


Guardiola made six changes from the side that beat Chelsea at the weekend with the likes of Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva among those not included -- and not surprisingly the intensity dropped.

Veteran Yaya Toure started for the first time in 13 games and 17-year-old Phil Foden was also given an opportunity.

But manager, Pep Guardiola was not too impressed, saying: "Just to pass the ball for itself is nothing.

"The first half was quite good but in the second half we forgot to attack, we forgot to play. When we pass the ball we do it to move through the opponents to attack. The second half was really, really poor.


"It is not easy to play with a 4-0 lead. I think in the first half we showed we wanted to win the game. We created a lot of chances and we were good.

"But after 1-1 in the second half, it didn't happen. We just passed for itself and when that happens, that is not football."

It is only the second time City have reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup or Champions League. Juventus, Real Madrid and Liverpool are the other sides to have clinched their last-eight spots this week.

Guardiola - who has won the Champions League twice with Barcelona but not since 2011 - is not worried about a repeat of the performance in the next round.

"In the quarter-finals, this kind of situation is not going to happen - to play the second game 4-0 up, the rhythm will be completely different," he said.

City's place in the last eight was never in doubt but they went through in subdued fashion and have still never won both legs of a Champions League knockout tie.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/manchester-city-break-champions-league-record-for-passes-completed-in-a-game/