Manchester City 2-2 Barcelona Review

Preseason Tour

Now in Orlando, City could not escape the volatile weather and the match was delayed by over an hour. Eventually passing for the team to begin their third preseason match in front of another packed stadium.

Here is how Manchester City lined up against Barcelona as the usual suspects of Haaland, Grealish, Bobb, Lewis, McAtee, and O’Reilly all started again.

After a wonderful cross from Oscar Bobb to Erling Haaland, City should have been ahead if goal-line technology had been used. Grealish and McAtee linked up for a dangerous transition shortly after that which finished with a poor pass to Haaland.

Barcelona scored first as Grealish jumped up to press the central defenders, one pass round the corner of Gvardiol put Pau Victor through on goal which he finished.

Kalvin Phillips almost scored with a free-kick. He had a great game individually after struggling throughout his time in Manchester.

Nico O’Reilly scored an excellent goal for City after Gvardiol threaded a ball through for him in the box. He finished low into the far right corner.

Barca scored their second goal when Lewis/Bobb were slow to close down a cross inside to the top of the box. One Barcelona player let’s in run through his legs to Pablo Torre, free from any City player and able to finish on his right-foot across Ederson. One he should have saved.

At half-time Guardiola made a couple of changes as Ortega (Ederson) came into goal and Perrone (Haaland) joined the midfield. McAtee pushing up to false nine.

Jack Grealish spoke about his opportunity in preseason to turn around the form of last season into motivation for this one.

In the second half, after an exceptional break and carry through the middle of the pitch by Mateo Kovacic, Grealish was picked out inside the box and provided this clinical finish.

Later into the second half, we saw four changes. Susoho (Kovacic) and Wright (O’Reilly) came into midfield. Doyle (Gvardiol) joined the back line. Fatah (McAtee) joined the attackers.

The last few changes towards the end of the second half saw Luke Mbete (Josh Wilson-Esbrand) and Micah Hamilton (Oscar Bobb) come on after 75’. Jaden Hesky (Jack Grealish) coming on after 84’.

Minutes for the first-team players. Oscar Bobb has completed two ninety minutes and seventy-six tonight. Rico Lewis has completed three nineties. Haaland has started all three matches, completing at least forty-five in each. Grealish has started all matches, completing at least sixty minutes in each. Sixty-five minutes for Kovacic and Gvardiol last night. Ederson and Ortega have played at least ninety minutes across the three matches.

Outside the first-team players, Nico O’Reilly and James McAtee have started all preseason matches. Perhaps one of them makes the team this season.

Granted It’s incredibly early as we are in preseason but we could be seeing the setup that City uses without Rodri this season.

Kalvin Phillips as mentioned before had a good match at CB. Ortega made some good saves when he came on and looked focused. Excellent first game back for Mateo Kovacic. On the ball, Gvardiol was sharp but lacking a little off the ball.

Callum Doyle dealt very well with Lewandoski in the second half.

Next up for Manchester City is Chelsea for their last preseason match. At Ohio Stadium on the 3rd of August, 22:30 (GMT).

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