Manchester City experienced their third consecutive defeat during their pre-season tour in the US, ultimately losing 4-1 in a penalty shootout to Barcelona after an exhilarating 2-2 draw in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday night.
Kalvin Phillips had his penalty saved during the shootout, as City converted only one out of their three attempts, whereas the Catalan team successfully netted all four to secure the win.
The Spanish side took the lead midway through the first half when Pau Victor scored with a low shot past Ederson, but City equalized just 15 minutes later thanks to a brilliant strike from Nico O’Reilly.
Barcelona regained the upper hand just before the first half concluded with a goal from Pablo Torre. However, Jack Grealish equalized for City after a swift counter-attack in the second half, before the team lost in the penalty shootout.
Mail Sport’s Jack Gaughan summarizes the five key takeaways from the match in Florida.
Jacob Wright missed his spot-kick as Manchester City lost on penalties to Barcelona in Florida
Barcelona were flawless in the shootout, converting all four penalties to secure the win
O’Reilly making a case for Guardiola’s plans?
While Oscar Bobb has significantly outshone others on this tour, Nico O’Reilly certainly earned his spotlight against Barcelona.
O’Reilly first gained attention two years ago with a scorpion kick for the academy, followed by an impressive lob in an Under-18 derby shortly after.
Having waited patiently for a chance to impress Pep Guardiola, he seized the opportunity over the past ten days.
O’Reilly’s intelligent forward run was pivotal in creating Bobb’s goal against Celtic, and he showcased his finishing ability in Orlando.
The 19-year-old skillfully maneuvered past Barcelona’s defense, receiving a precise pass from Josko Gvardiol to slot the ball past Ignacio Pena, even earning applause from Erling Haaland.
His overall performance, although a bit deeper than usual, was marked by strong tackles and a good passing range, with a few minor mistakes expected at this level.
Represented by the same agency as Guardiola, O’Reilly will be eager for some cup matches this season to demonstrate his skills in competitive settings.
Nico O’Reilly displayed his finishing prowess by scoring City’s first goal in the first half
Mixed results for the Croatian duo
The two Croatians, Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic, are gradually catching up after joining the squad in New York and acclimatizing to pre-season.
Both had their moments in Orlando, with Kovacic seeming to have never missed a beat, effortlessly navigating through midfield in his first 65-minute appearance back.
His powerful 70-yard run, which took out six Barcelona players and led to Jack Grealish’s goal, proved he’s not just a reliable rotation option for Rodri.
The central midfield is crowded with Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva, yet Kovacic’s performance at the end of the previous season makes him a critical asset.
Gvardiol’s evening was more of a mixed bag. He displayed moments of concentration lapses in his natural center-half position and his aggressive press contributed to Barcelona’s opening goal. However, his pass for O’Reilly’s strike highlighted his quality on the ball.
Mateo Kovacic made a strong return with a brilliant assist for Jack Grealish’s goal on the counter attack
Grealish demonstrates his scoring ability
Even prior to his goal, Grealish exhibited a greater intensity during this friendly, eagerly taking on defenders and appearing more in sync with his teammates.
His goal, assisted by Kovacic’s impressive run, was a confident finish across the goalkeeper with his left foot after he composed himself.
Earlier in the week, he admitted that being excluded from the England squad was one of the hardest experiences of his career, indicating he has something to prove—to at least Gareth Southgate, one would presume.
Grealish has faced criticism for not contributing enough goals and assists since his £100 million transfer to City, while he also understands his importance to Guardiola’s squad.
‘I want to score because there is no better feeling in football than finding the net, but it’s a team game,’ he mentioned a few months back after a promising performance against Crystal Palace.
‘I know I contribute much more to the team than just goals and assists. If you watch the Palace game again, you’ll see I played well. Unfortunately, everyone tends to focus on the statistics now.’
He has a point, but a few more goals like his recent one wouldn’t be unwelcome.
Grealish has faced scrutiny for not contributing enough goals and assists to the team
A potential new role for Phillips?
With a sell-out crowd of 63,237 in attendance at Barcelona’s match, one might wonder if Guardiola overthought the situation—just a joke.
However, an inventive decision was made in defense, made clear when Kalvin Phillips was seen participating in center-back drills just 24 hours before the match.
Phillips performed admirably in that role alongside Gvardiol, enjoying more time on the ball, allowing him the extra second to make his passes, and appearing more at ease overall. He was also solid defensively, which may provide some food for thought for the England international.
Meanwhile, Maximo Perrone played as a false nine for a time, while Jaden Heskey—son of Emile—showed flashes of real promise during his brief appearance.
Kalvin Phillips delivered a solid performance in an unfamiliar defensive role
A reminder of the importance of technology
There’s often a trend of players performing better when they are not in the spotlight, which was certainly the case with the technology on this occasion.
Haaland appeared to have given City an 11th-minute lead when he stretched to redirect Oscar Bobb’s cross into the net.
Barcelona goalkeeper Pena managed to deflect the ball, but it seemed he didn’t quite keep it from crossing the line.
Replays indicated that the ball appeared to have crossed the line, but the linesman, positioned behind the goalkeeper, did not see it.
Erling Haaland’s first-half volley appeared to have crossed the line but the goal was not awarded
Without goal-line technology, the match continued, and just 13 minutes later, Barcelona took the lead. Although it ultimately didn’t impact the match outcome, it serves as a reminder that technology can significantly enhance the game.
Regarding Haaland, it’s noteworthy that Guardiola has chosen to substitute the striker at halftime in the past two friendlies, even while other players remained on the pitch into the latter stages of the match. ‘Erling has already had his rest,’ Guardiola remarked last week. ‘(If) he feels tired, he should go to bed early. A 24-hour focus will prepare him. Tiredness is not an excuse. I challenge him to be more concentrated.’
