By Manchester City shattered Manchester United’s 15-year-old Champions League record Wednesday night, extending their unbeaten run to 26 games with a commanding 5-0 victory over Sparta Prague that helped establish Premier League dominance atop the European standings.
The defending European champions, who haven’t tasted defeat in the competition since a 3-1 loss to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in May 2022, surpassed United’s 25-game unbeaten streak set between 2007 and 2009. The victory also propelled City into third place in this season’s tournament, joining fellow English clubs Aston Villa and Liverpool in the top three positions.
Erling Haaland’s spectacular backheel volley proved the turning point in a match that began with Phil Foden’s third-minute opener. “It is an incredible joy to have him in the team,” Pep Guardiola said of Haaland, whose acrobatic finish from Savinho’s skillful setup could contend for the Puskas Award as goal of the year.
The Norwegian striker’s moment of brilliance opened the floodgates, with John Stones scoring six minutes later and Haaland adding his second just four minutes after that. Matheus Nunes, who provided assists for both the third and fourth goals, completed the rout with a late penalty.
City’s dominant performance, coupled with Villa’s defeat of Bologna Tuesday and Liverpool’s victory over RB Leipzig, established unprecedented English supremacy in the Champions League standings. While several teams match City’s seven points, their superior goal difference secured their position among the competition’s early pacesetters.
“This record shows the consistency we’ve developed at the highest level,” Guardiola noted. “But we must maintain this momentum.” City will seek to extend their record streak to 27 games when they visit Sporting CP in Portugal next month.
The victory underscored City’s continued evolution under Guardiola, with the team showing no signs of complacency following last season’s historic treble. Their combination of clinical finishing and tactical discipline suggests they remain formidable favorites to retain their European crown.
