Barcelona vs Man City: Man City falls to Shoot-out Defeat Against Barcelona

In front of a packed audience in Orlando, Manchester City faced Barcelona and ended the match with a thrilling 2-2 tie. However, they ultimately lost 4-1 in the penalty shootout.

In front of 63,237 fans at the Camping World Stadium, Kalvin Phillips and Jacob Wright were the unfortunate Manchester City players whose penalties were denied.

Barcelona initially went ahead with a low shot from Pau Victor, but Nico O’Reilly equalized shortly after, only for Pablo Torre to restore Barcelona’s lead just before halftime.

However, Manchester City earned their equalizer when Jack Grealish scored in the top corner following an excellent play by Mateo Kovacic before the hour mark.

Pep Guardiola‘s team pushed hard for a lead right up to the final whistle, but in the end, they succumbed to the unpredictability of a penalty shootout during our third pre-season match.

How it Happened

Despite suffering losses in their initial two matches in the United States, the outcomes didn’t accurately represent the encouraging displays from Pep Guardiola’s squad.

In Orlando, they began with intensity, as Kalvin Phillips—playing at center-back—delivered a precise pass that set Grealish free.

Grealish nearly scored with a powerful low shot. Shortly after the ten-minute mark, City came even closer to breaking the deadlock when Oscar Bobb sent a beautifully placed ball to the far post, which Erling Haaland met; however, his attempt was cleared off the line by Inaki Pena.

The Barcelona goalkeeper had to stay sharp shortly afterward, managing to tip a deep free-kick from Grealish behind for a corner, as it seemed headed for the top corner.

However, it was our Spanish rivals who posed the next threat, with Marc Casado shooting just over from the edge of the box.

This served as a warning for City, and Barcelona capitalized on their next chance when Victor found the net by slipping the ball beneath Ederson after receiving a cleverly disguised pass.

Despite this setback, Guardiola’s team remained unfazed; they created an opportunity for Kovacic inside the penalty area through some intricate passing, but he lost possession just as he was about to shoot.

Phillips was the next player to challenge the Barcelona goalkeeper, compelling Pena to make an impressive save from a free-kick.

Shortly after, Grealish nearly scored again, almost hitting the near post with his shot. The opponents’ goal seemed to be under constant threat, and it wasn’t long before O’Reilly finally found the back of the net.

He made a smart run behind the defense that Josko Gvardiol expertly picked out with a precise pass, allowing O’Reilly an easy opportunity to slot the ball into the far corner.

This goal was well-deserved for City, who had been the superior team in the first half aside from a brief moment when Barcelona took the lead; Rico Lewis had already tested Pena’s reflexes after combining with Bobb on the right flank.

We found ourselves trailing just before half-time when Victor executed a clever feint, allowing Torre to score effortlessly, even though Ederson managed to get a hand on the shot.

City came out strong at the start of the second half, showcasing some beautiful interplay between Kovacic and substitute Maximo Perrone that nearly breached Barcelona’s defense.

However, Perrone’s attempted cutback was intercepted by Pena early in the half. Just before the hour mark, though, we equalized thanks to Grealish, with Kovacic playing a crucial role in the setup.

Starting from deep in his own half, the Croatian skillfully evaded his defenders and surged into open space before threading a pass to City’s number 10.

It appeared he had taken it too wide but he unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner with his weaker foot despite the tight angle.

City relentlessly sought a late goal, yet as the match approached its final ten minutes, neither team could find an advantage.

Lewis believed he deserved a penalty when he was brought down in the Barcelona area, but his appeals were ignored.

Shortly after, substitute Micah Hamilton missed the target after maneuvering inside to shoot with his preferred right foot.

However, as stoppage time began, it was Barcelona who regretted their missed opportunities; Callum Doyle made a superb last-minute tackle to deny Robert Lewandowski, who had broken free on goal.

The match went to penalties, where both Phillips and Wright had their shots saved by substitute goalkeeper Ander Astralaga, while Barcelona converted all three of theirs to claim victory.