Gyokeres Equals Messi’s UCL Hat-trick Feat Against Man City

Viktor Gyökeres became the third player to score a hat-trick against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League following Sporting Lisbon’s 4-1 win against the Premier League holders on Tuesday.

Sporting marked the final home game of coach Ruben Amorim’s reign in stunning fashion as Gyokeres’ hat-trick saw them come from behind to beat City and maintain their superb start to the Champions League.

The Portuguese league leaders were outplayed for most of the first half and should have trailed by more than Phil Foden’s early goal, but Swedish striker Gyokeres leveled it up before the break.

City were caught cold at the start of the second period as Maximiliano Araujo finished a flowing move straight from the kickoff before Gyokeres put Sporting further ahead minutes later from the penalty spot.

Gyokeres then wrapped it up for Sporting with another spot kick to send the Estadio Jose Alvalade crowd into raptures.

The Swedish striker is now the third player after Messi and Christopher Nkunku to net a hat-trick against City.

White Messi achieved the feat in the 2016, Nkunku had his own hat-trick in 2021.

Also, Gyokeres is the first Sporting player to score a hat-trick in a Champions League/European Cup game since António Oliveira vs Dinamo Zagreb in 1982.

Meanwhile, Amorim leaves the Portuguese giants in second position in the Champions League group phase with 10 points from four games, behind only Liverpool.

City’s first defeat in this year’s competition leaves them on seven points although more worryingly they have now lost three games in a row in all competitions.