Manchester City duly made history by reaching the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time – but at some cost.
A goalless draw sealed a 3-1 aggregate success over Dynamo Kiev last night, yet their joy was tempered by the loss of first-choice centre-backs Vincent Kompany and Otamendi to injury, and a second successive game without scoring.
With a derby date against Manchester United looming on Sunday and a fight for a top-four spot, never mind the title, it was the last thing boss Manuel Pellegrini needed.
These will be anxious times, especially after the sight of Kompany trudging off to the sidelines in the fifth minute, distraught.
Just when it seemed as if his troubles were behind him with a run of six games, he backtracked to retrieve a long ball under pressure from Vitaliy Buyalskiy, turned, slipped and appeared to pull a calf muscle.
The Belgian raised a hand, almost in surrender, and on came Eliaquim Mangala to replace him.
The Frenchman had less than 20 minutes to renew a much-maligned partnership with Otamendi before the Argentine went off, too hurt to continue after an earlier collision with Buyalskiy.
Suddenly, the pairing of Mangala and Martin Demichelis – last seen starting together in the 4-1 humbling to Liverpool in November – did not provide the same comforting presence as City looked to hold on to their lead from the first leg.
But Kiev lacked quality as well as conviction to put the hosts under pressure. The most keeper Joe Hart had to deal with in the first half was a berating from Yaya Toure.
It was a subdued affair, and only marginally better after the break. Toure curled a free kick wide before releasing Jesus Navas for a low shot that struck the post on the hour.
Kiev’s woke from their slumber as Gael Clichy was caught in possession and Andriy Yarmolenko darted forward, turned Mangala but shot straight at Hart.
Toure worked Olexandr Shovkovskiy with a 20-yard effort after a rare good move, but City failed to find the net, nor impress as Hart made a couple of late saves to keep Kiev out.