It was a case of déjà vu for the Blues as yet another late winner disguised what was a highly problematic display characterised by slovenly defending and an openness in the midfield that begged for punishment. Fortunately for Manuel Pellegrini, his Spanish opponents managed to find the back of the net with only one of their 12 shots on goal.
This was not quite vintage City in Europe - apprehensive in style and too slow going forward - but it was a City unrecognisable to the force that trounced Bournemouth 5-1 just four days earlier.
Unai Emery's men spent most of the first half probing unfamiliar opposition before sending Yevhen Konoplyanka and Vitolo on snatch and grab missions down City's flanks. This was the first meeting between the two sides, but it didn't take long for the Spaniards to become aware of City's vulnerability at the back. Thirty minutes in and the pair came away with the goods as Vitolo's cross was turned in by the unmarked Konoplyanka at the back post.
Pellegrini's decision to leave Vincent Kompany on the bench drew murmurs from anxious supporters before the game. Before his injury, City had not conceded a goal in 525 minutes with the Belgian commanding their back line, but without him, the side had leaked a goal every 56 minutes. Was this punishment for disobeying his manager's orders and playing for Belgium nine days ago, or was Pellegrini truly satisfied with an Otamendi-Mangala partnership?
Whichever line of thinking the Chilean had gone with, it was hurting his side and City's openness required a plug in the form of their captain or an extra midfielder. BT Sport pundit Paul Scholes took the opportunity to once again castigate Yaya Touré for his defensive ineptitude before the game, but the Blues' were struggling because of their manager's tactical mistakes rather than Touré's weaknesses.
And just six minutes after Sevilla took the lead, Touré called upon his vast repertoire of strengths to wrestle his side back into the game. The Ivorian muscled his way past Timothée Kolodziejczak on the byline and fired into the box where Wilfried Bony's hopeful swing ricocheted off Adil Rami and past Rico.
And it was Touré again, the man who had revealed his irritation at the lack of recognition he receives from the British media earlier this week, who ensured a memorable evening was to be enjoyed by City fans. With seconds remaining, the 32-year-old bombarded forward on one of his acclaimed runs and fed the ball into Kevin De Bruyne who cut inside and slotted in the winner in the 92nd minute.
Champions League lift-off at last? It's still unclear, but with world class ammunition there is always a chance.
Fernando on, Bony off
Strangely, this was an offensive move designed to change the angle of attack. By introducing Fernando, Pellegrini was able to push Touré forward and move De Bruyne, the team's biggest threat going forward, into the no.9 role. The move puzzled spectators who questioned the logic of bringing off the side's only striker, but Bony had been ineffective and ultimately, the change paid off.
Is Bony good enough?
Comparing any striker to Sergio Agüero is often a pointless task, but with the Argentine set to be sidelined for the next month, City must rely on Wilfried Bony as the only experienced striker in their squad. The 26-year-old played his part in the equaliser, but lacked awareness and mobility in the penalty area that Agüero provides so consistently.
On a night where Jesus Navas's delivery into the box was uncharacteristically faultless, Bony failed to present himself as a target and as a result, 15 crosses were left to trickle into nothingness. The former Swansea man certainly has the credentials to lead City's line and showed his worth with two goals against Bournemouth last weekend, but in more important fixtures, the Ivorian is yet to, and must begin to, show his worth.
Kevin De Bruyne is worth every penny
There is something so complete about City's new Belgian. Whether it's a 30 yard pass into a striker, a cross from the byline or a shot on the goal, the 24-year-old executes the task with composure and precision.
De Bruyne, who has five goals and four assists to his name in his first seven appearances in all competitions, is already a fan favourite and could be the difference between trophies and runners up medals this season.
Player Ratings
Joe Hart 6
Pablo Zabaleta 5
Nicolas Otamendi 6
Eliaquim Mangala 7
Bacary Sagna 6
Fernandinho 6
Yaya Touré 7.5
Kevin De Bruyne 8
Jesus Navas 7.5
Raheem Sterling 5Wilfried Bony 5
Substitutes
Aleksandar Kolarov 6
Fernando 7
Fernando 7
Vincent Kompany - no time to mark
