In a nail-biting showdown, Manchester City pulled off a stunning comeback to clinch their spot in the UEFA Champions League knockout stage. The English giants fought back from a 1-0 deficit to claim a 3-1 victory over Club Brugge on Wednesday night, keeping their European dreams alive.

The first half was far from ideal for City. Struggling to create chances, they failed to land a single shot on target. To make matters worse, Brugge’s Raphael Onyedika stunned the Etihad Stadium with a goal just before halftime, putting the visitors in the lead.

But City came out swinging after the break. Mateo Kovačić leveled the score in the 53rd minute, weaving through Brugge’s defense and slotting the ball into the bottom corner. Less than 10 minutes later, an own goal by Joel Ordóñez off Joško Gvardiol’s cross gave City the edge.

The home crowd erupted in the 77th minute when substitute Savinho extended the lead to 3-1, securing City’s place in the next round.

Manager Pep Guardiola revealed his halftime pep talk, saying he told the team they had 45 minutes to turn things around. “I know we can come back when we score a goal for our people,” he said after the match.

Despite the loss, Club Brugge also advanced to the knockout stage, while City now awaits their next opponent, which could be Bayern Munich or Real Madrid.

The Champions League’s newly introduced knockout stage playoffs will kick off in February, promising more thrilling action. Fans can’t wait to see what’s next in this high-stakes tournament.