The Chilean had been widely criticised for his team selection at Stamford Bridge on Sunday but his refreshed players put in one of the performances of the season in Kiev
Manchester City's FA Cup thrashing at Chelsea drew the ire of pundits and traditionalists alike, so it should only follow that Manuel Pellegrini's decision to play a weakened team has been vindicated here in Ukraine.
Pellegrini handed full senior debuts to five teenagers at Stamford Bridge, and introduced a further two in the second half, leading to a wave of criticim from the likes of Match of the Day's Alan Shearer and former City defender Danny Mills.
The City boss' handling of the situation was certainly clumsy, if not disrespectful - not least to his own young players as he admitted he would not have even bothered turning up were he not obliged to do so. But he was consistent in his justification, insisting the Champions League, and Sunday's League Cup final, were the priorities for a squad with just 13 fit senior players.
They would have been running on empty come Sunday afternoon at Wembley had they played all three games in eight days.
But before that, those players came to the Olympic Stadium in Kiev and secured three vital away goals, almost certainly assuring their passage into the quarter-finals for the first time and allowing Pellegrini considerable breathing space.
The Chilean had refuted the suggestion that his FA Cup selection put a greater focus and greater pressure on the game here in eastern Europe, but unrest among a significant section of the City support has been growing in recent weeks and had this resulted in a fourth defeat in five games, the out-going manager may have not even seen out the remainder of his contract.
But this was a professional and disciplined performance, the type that hasn't been seen in a big game perhaps since City triumphed 3-1 in Seville in October. That was by far their best display of the season and this was not far off.
With Yaya Toure sitting deep and Fernando and Fernandinho pressing high up the pitch, the defence were given greater protection than they have had in weeks, and the attack were provided with the ball in advanced areas of the pitch.
Protected by his midfield, Nicolas Otamendi had one of his better games in recent weeks, while Vincent Kompany came throug 90 minutes looking as dominant as he has done this season.
Sergio Aguero, maybe the only City player in any kind of good form before this match, was at his best once again and notched his 16th goal in 17 Champions League starts.
Had this game fininshed 2-1 City would no doubt have gone home with a tinge of disappointment that the winning margin had not been greater. While the midfield protection did wane after the break, resulting in Kiev's only goal, they dominated large swathes of the game.
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There is not just the prospect of a first ever quarter-final appearance to point to as proof that City have grown in Europe. This performance, while not quite as good as October's masterclass in the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, followed the blueprint to the perfect away game almost to the letter. They have shown with late surges against Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach at the Etihad Stadium that there is real character in this team, too.
It came as great relief, then, when Yaya Toure curled home an excellent strike to settle the tie with 90 minutes to spare.
City will now head into Sunday's final with Liverpool in the highest of spirits. The FA Cup may be long gone, but the Champions League adventure shows no signs of stopping and Pellegrini's men will head to Wembley with renewed vigour.
- Goal