Reaction as Spurs knock Man City out on astonishing night of Champions League drama
Social media has reacted to one of the most incredible nights in recent Champions League memory as Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur played out a seven-goal thriller in their quarter-final second leg at the Etihad Stadium.
Despite City winning 4-3 on the night they were edged out on away goals after Spurs' 1-0 win at home in last week’s first leg.
Wednesday night’s barely believable action in Manchester saw Raheem Sterling score twice for City, who also had Bernardo Silva and Sergio Aguero on the scoresheet, while Spurs’ South Korean star Son Heung-Min bagged a brace for his team before Spaniard Fernando Llorente bundled home an all-important third – which was cleared by the VAR after strong suspicions of handball.
There was late drama as Sterling thought he had won it in injury time, only for the goal to be ruled out by the VAR for an offside in the build-up.
Also on rt.com Spurs knock out Man City on away goals after seven-goal Champions League thrillerIt was a night of high drama – and when the tie was over, social media users took a collective intake of breath before giving their verdicts on what was an astonishing game.
⚽️ 4' Man City 1-0 Spurs (1-1)⚽️ 7' Man City 1-1 Spurs (1-2)⚽️ 10' Man City 1-2 Spurs (1-3) ⚽️ 11' Man City 2-2 Spurs (2-3)⚽️ 21' Man City 3-2 Spurs (3-3)⚽️ 59' Man City 4-2 Spurs (4-3)⚽️ 73' Man City 4-3 Spurs (4-4) ❌ 90+3' Man City 5-3 Spurs (5-4) DISALLOWED Blimey. pic.twitter.com/N4pfz4vh1K
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) April 17, 2019
Simply, incredible. ⏱️ 04 🔵 1-0 Sterling (1-1) ⏱️ 07 ⚪️ 1-1 Son (1-2) ⏱️ 10 ⚪️ 1-2 Son (1-3) ⏱️ 11 🔵 2-2 B.Silva (2-3) ⏱️ 21 🔵 3-2 Sterling (3-3) ⏱️ 59 🔵 4-2 Aguero (4-3) ⏱️ 73 ⚪️ 4-3 Llorente (4-4) #UCL ⚪️ #COYSpic.twitter.com/A9UazdAJoc
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) April 17, 2019
I think this sums a lot of us up right now!Reaction: https://t.co/OCGaTut9x4pic.twitter.com/1QWGCPmIkP
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) April 17, 2019
Fooooooooooking hell.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) April 17, 2019
One man absent for Spurs was star forward Harry Kane, who suffered ankle ligament damage in the first leg.
But the England ace posted his delighted reaction at the final whistle, screaming “let’s go, come on!”
Omggg! I love you boys!!!! #COYS#UCLpic.twitter.com/S2Y9e5yY9N
— Harry Kane (@HKane) April 17, 2019
Teammate Harry Winks – also on the injury list – tweeted his joy at the result.
😍😍😍😍😍love it boys!!!!! #COYS
— Harry Winks (@HarryWinks) April 17, 2019
Defender Toby Alderweireld screamed: “We are making history!”
We are making history! @AFCAjax your boys are coming home. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀@JanVertonghen@ChrisEriksen8@daosanchez26#UCL#COYSpic.twitter.com/YGI9LSghCN
— Alderweireld Toby (@AlderweireldTob) April 17, 2019
Late in the game, the Man City Twitter account had tweeted a string of confused letters in amazement when they thought they had won the tie through Sterling's effort deep in injury time.
wfiuhefijvbeojefvnojegfnvepgfjevgpinbgw
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 17, 2019
But that tweet came back to bite them as the goal was ruled out for offside - much to the glee of rival fans.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/4YoAwMQk3w
— Charlys (@Charlys_Bob) April 17, 2019
After the game, City boss Guardiola lamented what he saw as a “cruel” ending with the VAR decision going against his team – also questioning Llorente’s goal – but saying “it is what it is.”
Guardiola rues "cruel" VAR decision!Watch here 👉 https://t.co/uMM9PUlOSw#beINUCL#MCITOT 📺 HD11 pic.twitter.com/YzY2al0Ugl
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) April 17, 2019
"Maybe the image the referee saw it wasn't the case, but from another angle it was a handball."Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola thinks Fernando Llorente's winner came off his hand and VAR got it wrong.#UCL#MCITOTpic.twitter.com/bmxkchjsSM
— eir Sport (@eirSport) April 17, 2019
Others hailed rival boss Mauricio Pochettino for what he has done with this Spurs team, deprived of the signings that big-name opponents such as City have had so readily at their disposal.
"Never mind VAR. Spurs haven't signed a player since January 2018 and found a way to beat one of the most expensively assembled squads in world football. Pochettino is a miracle worker and Son is world class." #MCITOThttps://t.co/S9vthEFYnJ
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) April 17, 2019
🎉 That feeling when you take Spurs to their first ever Champions League semi-final...📹 @btsportfootball#COYS#MCITOTpic.twitter.com/F4u6eCz2Q2
— The Sportsman (@TheSportsman) April 17, 2019
Pochettino himself hailed his team as “heroes.”
🗣️ Mauricio: "My players are heroes!" #UCL ⚪️ #COYSpic.twitter.com/EhUrMThn0k
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) April 17, 2019
When the dust had settled, there was the realization that Spurs – who gained just one point from their opening three group games in this year’s competition – were in the semi-final against an Ajax team who were just as unfancied to go this far.
1962 - @SpursOfficial have reached the semi-final of the European Cup/Champions League for just the second time, last doing so in 1961-62 under Bill Nicholson. Epoch. #MCITOT
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 17, 2019
Money dominates the game they say. You can’t be successful without spending they say. Spurs and Ajax will contest a Champions League semi-final having made a profit of £2.5m on transfers between them in the past 2 years.
— Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) April 17, 2019
If you ever tire of football, the Gods send a Messi, an Ajax, a City-Spurs to remind us that this game is simple but covers all the spectrum of emotions. And it is a wonderful way to spend time. Not many will be able to sleep much tonight for one reason or another #SuchAHigh
— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) April 17, 2019
Perhaps football fans' feelings about the night’s action were best summed up by UK TV host Richard Osmond, who said it was “one of those days that you genuinely feel sorry for people who don’t like football.”
One of those days that you feel genuinely sorry for people who don’t like football. That was sensational #MCITOT
— Richard Osman (@richardosman) April 17, 2019
