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Man on fire

Manchester City shatter the Champions League passing record… just three days after doing so in the Premier League

Pep Guardiola's men attempted an outrageous 1,058 passes in the 2-1 loss at home to Basel, completing 978 of them

MANCHESTER CITY shattered the Champions League passing record on Wednesday night... just three days after doing so in the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola's men lost 2-1 to Basel at the Etihad - their first home defeat since 2016 - but still progressed to the quarter-finals 5-2 on aggregate.

 Man City lost to Basel but broke the Champions League passing record
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Man City lost to Basel but broke the Champions League passing recordCredit: AFP

However, it wasn't the defeat that set tongues wagging, it was their smooth, electrifying passing performance yet again.

City attempted an outrageous 1,058 passes - the first team to ever reach four-figures in Europe - in the defeat.

On top of that, their completed passes tally of 978 is also a record - obliterating the 905 set by Barcelona in December 2016.

In fact, prior to Wednesday's game, the top EIGHT spot were all taken by Barcelona - set between 2010 and 2016.

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 Man City broke the passing record previously dominated by Barcelona
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Man City broke the passing record previously dominated by BarcelonaCredit: Getty

It's fair to say Man City are on a roll passing the ball around recently, after their tremendous effort in the 1-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday.

That day, Guardiola and Co broke FIVE Premier League records - inspired by Ilkay Gundogan.


PASS MASTERS Man City break five Premier League records in comfortable win over Chelsea, inspired by shock star


As well as shattering the team records for most passes made and most passes completed, the German broke THREE by himself.

Gundogan, 27, broke the individual records for passes made and completed, as well as having the most touches of any player in a single Premier League game, ever.

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Most Premier League touches ever

04/03/18 - Ilkay Gundogan, Man City vs Chelsea - 181

20/05/15 - Santi Cazorla, Arsenal vs Sunderland - 178

21/12/11 - Yaya Toure, ManCity vs Stoke - 175

22/11/14 - Cesc Fabregas - Chelsea vs West Brom - 174

30/01/18 - Joel Matip - Liverpool vs Huddersfield - 171

04/03/18 - Oleksandr Zinchenko, Man City vs Chelsea - 163

 Ilkay Gundogan broke an incredible three Premier League records against Chelsea
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Ilkay Gundogan broke an incredible three Premier League records against ChelseaCredit: AP:Associated Press

In the stroll in Eastlands, City attempted 975 passes - 46 more than the record they set earlier this season against West Brom (929).

Of those passes, City completed a phenomenal 902, 59 more than the record set in that same game against the Baggies (843).

Meanwhile, Gundogan had 181 touches in the game - three more than Santi Cazorla for Arsenal in the 2014-15 season.

The German playmaker also attempted a record 174 passes, completing a sensationally accurate 167 of those.

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