Champions League women: Barça suffers City’s revenge

FC Barcelona lost (2-0) against Manchester City this Wednesday in its debut in the 2024/25 Champions League as current double champion, suffering the revenge of a good English team on its return to the top continental competition.

The Barça team did not show its usual offensive and successful version at the start of a new Champions League, after lifting the third in its history in San Mamés on May 25. The first fell in 2021, when in the quarterfinals they eliminated a City team that three years later proved to have taken advantage of this time.

Returning from that defeat to the highest continental competition, the English team subjected Barça for many minutes with advanced pressure and added the three points with goals from Naomi Layzell, after an error by Cata Coll, and from Khadija Shaw, one in each part. Thus, a City that had been fully in its league like the Catalans fulfilled as the most dangerous team in Group D where Hammarby beat St. Polten (2-0).

Barça started with a ball to the woodwork by Graham Hansen and almost the goal that the Spanish Aleixandri took off the line, but City also had its post with Lauren Hemp. Those of Pere Romeu, the new Barça coach since this season, suffered a lot from the English pressure in the first half and ended up conceding 1-0 in an unfortunate exit by Coll in a corner kick.

It was the champion’s turn to react and it wasn’t all of a sudden. Little by little, Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas appeared a little more, but without having their day, hesitating as they do not usually do when the ball asked for a pass to the net. However, Barça began to reach the area around the hour mark and City had to do their best in defense.

Alexia missed a good pass behind Hansen, Aitana touched the goal from a distance and Claudia Pina tried it as soon as she jumped onto the field. The tie seemed close, but with a ball behind his back, Shaw did not forgive Coll to make it 2-0 in the 77th minute. The goal killed the attempt at a comeback by a Barça that began its journey with a touch of attention on the progression of their rivals.

TECHNICAL SHEET.

–RESULT: MANCHESTER CITY, 2 – FC BARCELONA, 0. (1-0, at halftime).

–ALIGNMENTS.

MANCHESTER CITY: Yamashita; Layzell, Aleixandri (Kennedy, min.89), Greenwood, Casparij; Park (Jill Roord, min.79), Hasegawa, Miedema; Fowler (Fujino, min.81), Shaw y Hemp.

FC BARCELONA: Cata Coll; Ona Batlle, Mapi, Engen (Pina, min.64), Rolfo (Brugts, min.73); Aitana Bonmatí (Nazareth, min.86), Walsh (Vicky López, min.89), Patri Guijarro; Hansen, Pajor y Alexia (Paredes, min.86).

–GOALS:

1 – 0, min.36, Layzell.

2 – 0, min.77, Shaw.

–REFEREE: Stéphanie Frappart (FRA). Aleixandri was cautioned (min.15) by City. And Mapi León (min.31) and Hansen (min.47) at Barça.

–ESTADIO: Academia Manchester City.