Atalanta 1-1 Manchester City: Walker plays as emergency goalkeeper after Bravo red in frantic San Si

Manchester City finished with Kyle Walker in goal as their progression to the Champions League knockout stages was stalled by Atalanta in a dramatic 1-1 draw.

Raheem Sterling’s seventh-minute goal looked set to be paving the way for another dominant display from the Premier League champions, who thrashed Atalanta 5-1 in the reverse fixture and wanted a win to guarantee their place in the last 16.

However, Gabriel Jesus’ dreadful penalty miss and the half-time substitution of goalkeeper Ederson – who reportedly had a minor injury – handed Atalanta hope, with Mario Pasalic then heading in their equaliser.

A red card for Ederson’s replacement, Claudio Bravo, caused mayhem in the closing stages, with Walker, after a long delay, brought on to take his place in net, and the emergency goalkeeper held his nerve as City held firm to claim a point.

CITY SUB | Kyle Walker pulls on the ‘keeper jersey…

1-1 #ManCity #UCL pic.twitter.com/OtYhsl2RsB

— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 6, 2019

Hans Hateboer missed a great early chance for Atalanta, but it was City who took the lead when Sterling swept home at the culmination of a slick move.

City looked to have been gifted the chance to double their lead when referee Aleksey Kulbakov awarded a penalty for Rafael Toloi’s foul on Sterling, only for VAR to rightly overturn the decision as initial contact came outside the box.

Chaos commenced from the resulting free-kick – Sterling’s strike hit Josip Ilicic on the arm, with Kulbakov giving the penalty after checking with VAR.

Jesus’ spot-kick let Atalanta off the hook, though, with the Brazil forward sending a dreadful attempt well wide of the left post.

Atalanta were level four minutes into the second half, as Bravo’s first act was to collect the ball out of his own net after Pasalic powered in Alejandro Gomez’s sensational cross.

Bravo’s chaotic cameo was brought to an end in the 81st minute, with VAR backing up the referee’s decision to send the goalkeeper off for a lunge on Ilicic after charging out of the penalty area.

Walker had to step up, but despite a nervy start when he fumbled Ruslan Malinovskiy’s free-kick, the right-back was not severely tested as Atalanta failed to capitalise on City’s misfortune.

What does it mean? City’s progress on ice, Atalanta have hope

Despite their difficulties in Milan, where Atalanta are playing their Champions League games, Pep Guardiola’s side will surely ensure their progression at the next time of asking. On November 26 they will have home advantage against Shakhtar Donetsk, who drew 3-3 with Dinamo Zagreb in an extraordinary encounter elsewhere in Group C on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Atalanta have their first point on the board, keeping their slim hopes of progression alive.

Atalanta talisman Gomez steps up

The experienced Gomez has been a staple of Atalanta’s rise to prominence in Serie A, though he had failed to carry that form into the Champions League until Wednesday’s outing. This time he turned on the style, providing a sublime assist for Pasalic’s equaliser before he supplied the throughball which led to Bravo’s dismissal.

Bravo makes history… for all the wrong reasons

City face Liverpool next in what looks set to be a highly significant clash in the Premier League title race. Now Guardiola – who has already been fielding a makeshift defence – could well be without his first-choice goalkeeper at Anfield if Ederson cannot make it. If Bravo is called upon, he will need to be levels above the display he put in at San Siro. The Chilean never looked settled, and his rush of blood to the head very nearly cost City dearly as he became the first substitute goalkeeper to be sent off in Champions League history.

1 – Claudio Bravo is the first ever substitute goalkeeper to be sent off in Champions League history. Rush. #ATAMCI

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 6, 2019

What’s next?

Title rivals City and Liverpool go head to head on Sunday in England’s top-flight, while Atalanta travel to Sampdoria in Serie A on the same day.