Man City stroll on in Champions League as academy starlets get moment in limelight vs Sporting

The smartest move Manchester City made was to put tickets for this yawn-fest on sale before the first leg against Sporting had been played. That ensured a captive audience for what was a complete non-event - a clash between the Portuguese champions, entirely lacking in hope, and a City team already thinking ahead to next Monday’s trip to Crystal Palace.

The goalless draw ensured City go into the bowls for next week's quarter-final draw when, for them, the competition will begin in earnest. With a 5-0 lead from Portugal, City could barely muster the effort needed to win the game, while Sporting played for pride but were simply not good enough to be a real threat.

Even the appearance of three of City's brightest young academy products in James McAtee, CJ Egan-Riley and Luke Mbete - who all acquitted themselves well - could not lift this game above the humdrum. In the end, it was a game that called for a rule change, preferably something borrowed from cricket, where two teams aimlessly winding towards a pointless conclusion can simply shake hands and call it off, giving everyone an early night.

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The only man who could raise any kind of emotion as the game played itself out to a pointless conclusion was Pep Guardiola, exasperatedly berating the fourth official after Goncalo Inacio had hammered into the back of Gabriel Jesus for what should have been a clear penalty. The fans briefly raised their voices in protest as Guardiola questioned the decision and the lack of VAR action, but it barely mattered.

Even the players failed to shout the odds about the officials’ blind spot, which riled Guardiola again when Jesus, proving hot to handle down the City right, was again bundled to the floor on the