Cherky guides Manchester City to the eighth finals of the Champions League; Doku injured

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki struck before half-time to secure their side’s Champions League place in the last 16 in a 2-0 win over Galatasaray on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola’s side claimed eighth spot with 16 points in the eight-match league stage to narrowly avoid the two-legged play-offs and progress straight to the last 16 for a precious bit of breathing space in a packed fixture list.

Galatasaray finished 20th with 10 points and entered the play-offs.

Haaland headed an early chance wide, but made up for it in the eleventh minute when Jeremy Doku delivered a perfect ball to put him one-on-one with Ugurcan Cakir. The Norwegian tapped the ball over the keeper for his first open goal in ten games.

Doku also provided the assist for Cherki’s goal when he leveled two defenders before laying the ball back for the Frenchman, who took a brief touch before firing the ball home in the 29th minute.

Doku left shortly afterwards with a calf injury and received a standing ovation.

City suffered a shock 1-3 defeat at Bodo/Glimt last week, leaving them 11th and needing a win to have a chance of a place in the top eight.

«We are happy, just very happy because we wanted to qualify in the top eight. With a little bit of drama we did it,» said Bernardo Silva. «Overall, very happy because we avoided two games. With the schedule it is very important to do that. We also need to recover some players to arrive in the last months of the season.»

Haaland’s goal was his seventh in eight Champions League games and his 56th in 56 appearances in Europe’s elite club competition. He is now joint eighth on the list of all-time top scorers next to Ruud van Nistelrooy, who scored ‍56 times in 73 games.

Haaland missed a late chance, which would have been a stunning goal, as he flew in with his leg outstretched but failed to connect with Phil Foden’s cross in the six-yard box.

City controlled long stretches of the match and squandered numerous chances. Nico O’Reilly launched a rocket in the first half that felled Cakir. The ‘keeper also saved a close-range shot from an unmarked Omar Marmoush in the second half.

Despite Galatasaray’s spirited response in the second half, there was no doubt about City’s much-needed win – the fifth win of the season for the 2023 Champions League winners.

«In the second half we played more on the pitch, pressing our opponent and holding the ball. In an away match against Manchester City we were happy with this,» said Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk. «It was a wonderful match, two teams played beautiful football. I would like to congratulate the players of both teams.»

After the final whistle, fans at the Etihad Stadium looked at their phones as a late Real Madrid goal against Benfica would have moved City up to ninth place. There were loud cheers when Benfica’s goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored in the 98th minute for a 4–2 victory.

«I like the new format of the Champions League,» Guardiola said. «I don’t like that there are more matches, but I do like it; every match is like a final.»

Guardiola was without new signings Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi as they are ineligible for Champions League action until the knockout stages, while key midfielder Rodri was suspended following his red card at Bodo/Glimt.

He said Doku was likely to miss Sunday’s Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur

Published on January 29, 2026