Gabriel Jesus scored a brilliant hat-trick as Pep Guardiola’s rampant Man City side crushed Zagreb in Croatia.
Dinamo Zagreb coach Nenad Bjelica has hit out at Manchester City after Wednesday’s Champions League thrashing, accusing Pep Guardiola’s side of failing to adhere to the rules of ‘fair play’ in an interview with HNTV.
City ensured their group stage campaign ended in style as they recovered from a brilliant Dani Olmo opener to rack up the goals in Croatia. Gabriel Jesus netted a ruthless European hat-trick, including a brilliant individual effort, before Phil Foden put the finishing touches on proceedings with a late fourth.
But Dinamo were less than happy about the way Jesus levelled the score in the first-half, heading the ball into the net while two home players were sprawled out on the turf pleading for medical attention.
And Bjelica, while paying tribute to the remarkable quality at City’s disposal, was keen to draw attention to that particular flashpoint.
“We did great during the first half. We equalled City tactically. We scored a very nice goal, after a nice move, but there you are. City did not equate in the spirit of fair play, my god,” said the combustible coach.
“The fact is they are impossibly strong.”
In defence of Manchester City, however, neither of the two Dinamo players had suffered a head injury so there was no legitimate requirement for the referee to stop play.
The fact that both had hurt themselves when trying simultaneously to clatter into Foden, meanwhile, adds further ridicule to Bjelica’s argument.
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