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| Manchester City 3-1 Barça – Match Report |
FC Barcelona couldn’t maintain their 100% win record in the 2016/2017 UEFA Champions League campaign as they were beaten by English giants Manchester City at the Etihad in their fourth group game of the tournament.
Lionel Messi opened the scoring for the visitors, taking his season tally to 7 CL goals in just three games, but Barça were punished after a couple of missed chances as Ilkay Gündogan levelled things up before the break then Kevin De Bruyne and Gündogan wrapped things up in the second half to keep City’s hope of qualifying to the next round alive.
Barça started well, but City fought really hard. Sterling was shown a yellow card for diving after a strong appeal for a penalty and Barça got the lead moments later through Lionel Messi. Neymar found the Argentine in space who did well to slice through the Man City defence and slot a cool shot past Willy Caballero.
Barça had two more good chances to score but Luis Suárez and Neymar both failed to do so and they were punished on 40 minutes when Ilkay Gündogan scored the equalizer moments after he forced a great save from Ter Stegen. Sergi Roberto lost the ball in a dangerous area and it found Sterling who teed up Gündogan for an easy finish.
City started the second half brightly, Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling came close to giving Man City the lead. The Cityzens kept on pressing and had more chances to score a third with De Bruyne and Agüero missing chances once more but it was the Belgian who gave Man City the lead after a beautifully curled free kick that beat Ter Stegen who got a hand to it.
Barça came close to getting the equalizer minutes later. Luis Suárez did well on the right to get space for himself before setting up André Gomes who had so much space and time in his hands, but the Portuguese could only fire his shot on to the crossbar.
Barça were made to rue that missed chance as Gündogan ended the tie with his second of the night after firing a shot thanks to a cut back by Jesús Navas.
The loss meant Barça will have to wait to book their place in the round of 16 although they still top group C.