Erling Haaland had the last laugh as Manchester City saw off Bayern Munich to book a mouthwatering Champions League semi-final clash with Real Madrid.
After Pep Guardiola 's side romped to a 3-0 mauling in the first leg last Tuesday, Bayern needed a miracle to advance. Thomas Tuchel 's men got off to a positive start but failed to take their chances, while defender Dayot Upamecano had a nightmare at the other end.
Firstly getting away with a red card thanks to VAR before conceding a penalty for handball, Haaland spared the Frenchman's blushes by remarkably blazing his effort over the bar. The second half was a different story, though, as Upamecano's slip allowed City's goal-loving No.9 to smash home and kill the contest with half an hour remaining.
Bayern did hit back through Joshua Kimmich's penalty for a rather farcical handball, but was too little, too late for Tuchel's men.
Here are seven talking points from the Allianz Arena.
Mane makes his return
Eight days after his dressing room bust-up with team-mate Leroy Sane following the first leg, Sadio Mane was back in Bayern Munich's squad after being suspended by the club for Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to Hoffenheim. The former Liverpool star, who was signed by previous Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann last July, has largely endured frustration since his move to Bavaria.
But on Wednesday, Mane was recalled to the side and started on the bench, looking in good spirits during the warm-up. Thomas Tuchel elected to use Kingsley Coman and Sane on the flanks with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting up front. Also in Tuchel's starting XI was City loanee Joao Cancelo, facing the team he's set to return to in the summer - but for how long is unknown.
Upamecano escapes early bath
In need of a miracle, Bayern began the game with a suitable amount of attacking intent and had the upper hand throughout the opening exchanges. Particularly terrorising City left-back Nathan Ake through Kingsley Coman's brilliance, Tuchel would've been pleased with how his side approached things until Sane missed a one-on-one chance which he looked certain to slot past Ederson.
Having survived the scare, City looked to punish Bayern with an attack of their own and when Kevin De Bruyne slid through Erling Haaland shortly after Sane's miss, the Allianz Arena held its breath. French centre-back Dayot Upamecano was chasing the Norwegian striker and sent him tumbling with a wayward leg, leaving referee Clement Turpin with only one option: to send him off.
Fortunately for Upamecano, however, VAR deemed that Haaland was marginally offside when De Bruyne's pass came through and the red card was rescinded. Tuchel was furiously protesting on the touchline and despite getting the outcome he wanted with the offside call, he was booked for his protests.
Haaland feels the feat
The last thing Bayern fans will've wanted to imagine going to bed last night was the sight of the imposing figure of Erling Haaland standing over a penalty with the scoreline 0-0. When Ilkay Gundogan's shot hit the arm of flailing Upamecano in the 35th minute, Turpin pointed to the spot and most inside the Allianz Arena were silenced.
After Bayern saw their appeals waved away and Upamecano was shown a yellow card, this time for good, their players decided to employ some dark arts as Haaland waited to shoot. Putting the 47-goal marksman off with a series of actions to delay his kick, Haaland evidently felt the pressure and remarkably blazed his effort over bar.
His shellshocked face came on the big screen shortly after, with the home crowd cheering in unison. They were still 3-0 down, though, as the dramatic, melee-filled first half drew to a close without any goals, although there was a skirmish on the brink of half-time which saw Gundogan and Joshua Kimmich booked.
Haaland shows who's boss
Of all the star players on the pitch, the game could be distilled to one battle - Haaland versus Upamecano. Their duel had thickened throughout the first period and hit a flashpoint 12 minutes into the second half, ending the contest. As Bayern once again probed the City back line, Ederson was into a spectacular save which sparked a counter attack.
Picking up the rebound like it was table football, John Stones ired a pass up to De Bruyne, who dully found Haaland racing through, desperate to make amends for his penalty miss. He squared up Upamecano and before the France international knew it, he was on the deck and the ball in the back of the net.
His slip allowed Haaland to find space in the penalty area, unleashing an unstoppable shot past Yann Sommer to kill any hopes that the German giants had. Shushing the crowd, Haaland wheeled away in celebration as he racked up goal number 48 and booked a mouthwatering semi-final clash with Real Madrid.
Guardiola given treble worry
Yes, Erling Haaland will rightly be awarded Manchester City's Player of the Year award, but Nathan Ake has also enjoyed a superb campaign, his second at the Etihad Stadium. Making the left-back spot his own and ousting Cancelo, the Dutch defender looks the real article in arguably the world's best team.
Unfortunately for Ake on this occassion, his rough night was made even worse when he went down clutching his hamstring in the 67th minute, being forced off in place of Aymeric Laporte. If the 28-year-old is ruled out for an extended period, it could be a huge blow to City's chances of winning the treble.
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Tuchel left seeing red
It's rarely a positive when the referee becomes a talking point and Thomas Tuchel won't want to see Clement Turpin again any time soon. Constantly appealing his decisions with fury throughout the game, the German tactician was eventually showed a second yellow card minutes after Joshua Kimmich's consolation penalty.
Tuchel went ballistic after Laporte brought Kingsley Coman down to halt a Bayern attack, but a booking for the City substitute wasn't ample punishment. Turpin lost patience with Bayern's boss and promptly sent him to the stands before Guardiola and co saw out the closing stages.
Bayern going back to the drawing board
For some clubs, a league title means everything. For Bayern Munich, it's the bare minimum. It's difficult to judge Tuchel so far but given he was brought in to use his acumen against Guardiola sides and give the Bavarians hope it the Champions League, he's failed his first task.
Having also crashed out of the DFB-Pokal to Freiburg earlier this month, Bayern's challenge is now to sustain their slender, two-point lead of over Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga. For any success in Europe next time out, it's evident that they need a top-level striker, one who can fill the void left by Robert Lewandowski. Harry Kane might get a phone call soon enough.
