Champions League

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Champions League | Group Stage

Nov 23, 2016 at 7.45pm UK

Borussia M'bach Borussia Monchengladbach
1-1
Man City Manchester City

Raffael (23')
Stindl (51')

FT(HT: 1-1)

Silva (45')
Fernandinho (63')

Ilkay Gundogan satisfied with "important" result as Manchester City reach last 16

By Danielle Joynson, Staff Reporter | 23 November 2016

Ilkay Gundogan says that Manchester City's progression into the last 16 was more "important" than performing well against Borussia Monchengladbach.

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has claimed that reaching the last 16 of the Champions League was more "important" than the performance against Borussia Monchengladbach.

Pep Guardiola's side played out a 1-1 draw in Germany, which was enough to reach the knockout stage due to Barcelona's 2-0 triumph over Celtic.

David Silva cancelled out Raffael's opener on the stroke of half time, but it was misery for both in the second half as Lars Stindl and Fernandinho were sent off for separate second yellow offences.

During the game, City gave up on their shape, which began with a three-man defence, and they sat back after going down to 10 men, which Gundogan has claimed was necessary.

"It was tough. We knew Borussia were a strong team - we definitely saw that in the first half," Gundogan told BT Sport. "We controlled the second half, we kept the ball and sometimes it's necessary to do that.

"We are now through the group stage and that's the most important thing. If we recognise that something isn't going well we try to change and make it better."

City's final Group C game will be against Celtic in a fortnight.