After Phil Foden's introduction in the first leg of Manchester City's Champions League quarter-final battle with Atletico Madrid, it was no surprise he started the second leg and no surprise he was targeted by relentless Atleti challenges.
Maybe in the past, Foden would have reacted to the physical attention he received from the start at the Wanda Metropolitano. But he kept his head, bandaged after a challenge from Felipe in the first half, and had the last laugh as Atletico lost their cool and Felipe was sent off.
Foden has been credited — or blamed, depending on your allegiance — for sparking the late brawl on the pitch after he was fouled by Felipe and then shouted at by Stefan Savic. As Atletico were building up momentum, Foden's sneaky roll back onto the pitch might have been a match-winning moment for City. His grin shortly after next to an angry Diego Simeone sums up his new-found attitude that should make him undroppable in the semi-final vs Real Madrid.
