Barcelona were dished out a dose of their own medicine as Pep Guardiola managed to beat the ‘demons’ he created, for the first time as Manchester City boss.
The signs were there for all to see a couple of weeks ago at the Camp Nou. Although Barcelona thumped City by a resounding 4-0 margin, the final score wasn’t a fair reflection of how the game actually transpired. While it was some poor defensive errors that caused the damage, City looked threatening on the attack and would’ve stood a good chance of taking something away from the game had they converted their goal-scoring opportunities.
And based on last night’s heroics, it’d be fair to say that Pep Guardiola’s side learnt a thing or two from their Camp Nou escapade. The Citizens upstaged the Blaugrana at the Etihad by an emphatic 3-1 margin in an encounter that progressed similar to the game two weeks ago. As in the earlier tie, Barcelona took the lead early before City began to pressure them and started threatening Ter Stegen’s goal. Except that this time around, they converted their chances.
Lionel Messi scored the first goal on the night with a brilliantly initiated counter in the 21st minute to set the pace for Barcelona after being subjected to immense pressure from City during the opening minutes. The move, started by Messi at the half-way line, was finished by the Argentine when he picked up a precise pass into the box from Neymar and finished with aplomb. However, two Ilkay Gundogan goals either side of a spectacular Kevin De Bruyne free-kick meant Barcelona lost their 100% UCL record for the season with a surprise loss at the Etihad.
Twitter hailed Pep Guardiola’s tactical acumen and a superlative performance from the City players on a special night at the Etihad when the blue half of Manchester announced itself to the Champions League elite, as though a semi-final appearance in the competition last season wasn’t enough.
Gundogan: £21 million
5 Goals
3 Assists
0 Dabs
1 HaircutPogba: £90 million
1 Goal
0 Assists
2 Dabs
6 Haircuts pic.twitter.com/HpzwYrLGZH— Football Funnys (@FootballFunnys) November 1, 2016
– Ilkay Gundogan = £20m
– Paul Pogba’s agent = £21m pic.twitter.com/N70xlEpEi6
— SPORF (@Sporf) November 1, 2016
I know Gündogan scored two of our goals tonight, but his performance went far, far beyond that. He was brilliant, just tireless.
— Lloyd Scragg (@lloyd_scragg) November 1, 2016
Ilkay Gündogan: Has scored more goals vs Barcelona (2) than he had in his previous 23 Champions League apps combined (1) #MCIFCB
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) November 1, 2016
Gundogan is playing quite well for someone whose spine is made of fish fingers sellotaped together
— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) November 1, 2016
Gundogan what a top player ??????
— Robbie Savage (@RobbieSavage8) November 1, 2016
Another double for Gundogan. pic.twitter.com/lUFmIKS5qK
— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) November 1, 2016
And for someone who has spent a lot of time taking criticism for final pass, that was great composure from Sterling. On a plate for Gundogan
— Phil McNulty (@philmcnulty) November 1, 2016
There was of course special praise reserved for De Bruyne for an absolute belter of a free-kick to send City into the lead on the night.
CLASS: Fan footage of Kevin De Bruyne’s free-kick against Barcelona…
Via: @AsifBurhan pic.twitter.com/L2PHpsjeir
— BenchWarmers (@BeWarmers) November 1, 2016
Trying to figure out how Jose Mourinho didn’t see the potential in Kevin De Bruyne. pic.twitter.com/EE0w8q2OHs
— Footy Jokes (@Footy_Jokes) November 1, 2016
Kevin De Bruyne is doing his Lionel Messi thing tonight. ? pic.twitter.com/CpqCMPp5PV
— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) November 1, 2016
1 – Kevin De Bruyne is the 1st player to score a direct free-kick goal against Barcelona in #UCL since Juninho Pernambucano in 2009. Music.
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 1, 2016
Kevin De Bruyne has been directly involved in 6 goals across all competitions this season (3G, 3A).
Perfect free-kick. pic.twitter.com/HsxE5PiXQ4
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) November 1, 2016
I have no words for De Bruyne’s goal there. Absolutely stunning ??@ManCity pic.twitter.com/7CECPwEme9
— Daniel Knauer (@Dk4567) November 1, 2016
Omg. A stunt in #mancity. Great free kick #debruyne https://t.co/raQ7hebR6Y
— Ruud Gullit (@GullitR) November 1, 2016
Guardiola’s change in tactics for the second half truly turned the tie on it’s head and had City rampaging at Barcelona’s goal.
Gundogan ends it, De Bruyne killed and won this match while Messi was left isolated due to Lucho’s poor tactics and Pep’s merits.
— Rafael Hernández (@RafaelH117) November 1, 2016
Watch how De Bruyne positions himself and his teammates bring the ball to him when going forward. Messi surrounded and isolated. Enraging.
— Rafael Hernández (@RafaelH117) November 1, 2016
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City outsmarted, outclassed and outplayed the best club in the world! pic.twitter.com/uxBsX1ihkh
— City Chief ️ (@City_Chief) November 1, 2016
Pep Guardiola: Still the master. pic.twitter.com/cQQCFtOhcW
— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) November 1, 2016
BREAKING: Pep Guardiola right now. pic.twitter.com/5TaPv6OHoA
— SPORF (@Sporf) November 1, 2016
When you beat a Barcelona team containing Messi, Suarez and Neymar…https://t.co/TxJLtEJhNK
— BigSport (@BigSportGB) November 1, 2016
So after three months work and without Messi, is it also possible to play Pep’s way? The answer is going to be very clear this season…
— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) November 1, 2016
Every year Barcelona loses a new layer of paint. Essence getting lost and too much depends on the top three. Often Messi covers the cracks
— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) November 1, 2016
Thereby, it will essay service for https://pro-essay-writer.com be quite unpleasantly to waste this chance
