Manchester City 3-1 Sevilla
Both sides knew there was little riding on this match and in particular for Sevilla, there was nothing but pride that they could take from the match. And perhaps some confidence going into their crucial derby at the weekend. While there was some encouragement, it turned into something of a funeral march.
The first half saw Sevilla defend their final third well and persist in playing out of their own box, to varying degrees of effectiveness. They also found space down the flanks though and Rafa Mir had already warned Stefan Ortega with a spicy shot, before a corner found him unmarked at the back post. He powered his header back where it came from, inside the near post.
Things began to go wrong just before the break though as Marcao pulled up with what looked like a hamstring problem. It puts his chances of playing against Real Betis on Sunday in serious doubt and he was replaced by Nemanja Gudelj.
Marcos Acuna was replaced by Alex Telles at the break and as City upped the tempo, it was Telles who gave the ball away on the edge of his own box to Julian Alvarez, sliding in 17-year-old Rico Lewis for his first goal on his first start.
City continued to improve and notably so with the introduction of Kevin de Bruyne. It was his excellent parabolic pass that allowed Alvarez in to give City the lead.
Alvarez then hustled the ball off Jose Angel Carmona in the closing stages to set up Riyad Mahrez for a good finish, high into the corner.
Jorge Sampaoli will now nervously await the results of Marcao’s injury diagnosis. The saddest part for Sevilla was not that they were knocked out of the Champions League, but that they were so limp in the manner of their exit. They now move into friendlier and more familiar climes in the Europa League.