Barcelona Triumphs Over Man City to Top Women’s Champions League Group
Barcelona’s Women’s team delivered a commanding 3-0 victory against Manchester City on Wednesday, securing the top spot in their UEFA Women’s Champions League group. The Catalan giants, three-time champions, outperformed their English counterparts to ensure a favorable draw in the knockout stages.
Claudia Pina opened the scoring late in the first half, setting the tone for Barcelona’s dominance. Ballon d’Or winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas added two more goals in the second half, cementing Barcelona’s position as Group D leaders. Bonmati expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, “We had lots of goal chances. The result could’ve been far more clear-cut, but we’re happy to have done our job and won the group.”
Both teams had already secured their quarter-final spots, but the battle for group supremacy added intensity to the match. Barcelona showcased their attacking prowess early, with Salma Paralluelo, Ewa Pajor, and Esmee Brugts coming close to scoring. Manchester City’s goalkeeper, Khiara Keating, delivered an impressive performance, making crucial saves to keep the game level until Pina’s breakthrough just before halftime.
Despite trailing, City remained poised to top the group due to their earlier 2-0 victory over Barcelona in October. However, Bonmati’s 57th-minute strike, just a day after winning her second FIFA Best award, pushed Barcelona ahead on goal difference. Substitute Alexia Putellas sealed the win with a deflected goal in the 69th minute.
In other Group C action, Arsenal staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Bayern Munich 3-2, claiming the top spot in their group. Bayern initially took the lead when Glodis Viggosdottir turned an Arsenal corner into her own net. Magdalena Eriksson equalized and later scored again to put Bayern ahead. Arsenal’s Alessia Russo quickly leveled the match before Mariona Caldentey converted a late penalty to secure victory for the Gunners.
Elsewhere, Juventus concluded their campaign with a 3-0 win over Valerenga, while Hammarby defeated St. Poelten 2-1 to finish third in their group.
The quarter-final draw, scheduled for February 7, will feature elite teams, including Barcelona, Manchester City, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Lyon, Real Madrid, Wolfsburg, and Chelsea.
