Manchester City’s power and hobby were the reasons for his victory over Real Madrid, according to Raheem Sterling.
City booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2–1 loss to Madrid at Etihad Stadium on Friday, claiming a 4–2 overall win.
Sterling scored the first game, his 100th goal for the club, following Raphael Varane’s mistake, Gabriel Jesus threw himself into the error of the central Madridist besieged at the time of the moment after Karim Benzema restored parity.
Sterling believes that the between City and Madrid is due to the effort.
“Just energy, passion. It’s one of the competitions where we have to do it right, we have to play football, but if we get out of the way, the result will go on,” Sterling told BT Sport.
“The vital today, we know how smart they are and we know how smart we are, the difference will be who runs the maximum and who is willing to put the extra meter. I think we were brilliant today.
“That component of the plan. Being at the forefront, competitive and right about them. From our urgency they gave us two goals.
“With the players we have, there is no inferiority. We played very well. They have a lot of players, but the power and performances we showed were brilliant.”
Lyon beat Juventus in home goals despite a double from Cristiano Ronaldo in Turin, and will be City’s quarter-final opponent on 15 August in what will be a playoff in Lisbon.
“It will look more like a foreign scene,” said Sterling, who would have played at Euro 2020 with England in June and July for the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’ll be interesting, but I’m grateful we’re here.”