Live Commentary: Barcelona vs Manchester City

Good evening and welcome to Sports Nigerianeye's live commentary of the Champions League Group C match between Barcelona and Manchester City at Camp Nou.


Tonight will see Man City boss Pep Guardiola return to the club that he managed between 2008 and 2012 and also represented as a player between 1990 and 2001 – making more than 250 league appearances.

Barcelona will enter the match top of Group C after recording wins over Celtic and Borussia Monchengladbach in their opening two fixtures.

Premier League leaders Man City, meanwhile, currently sit second on four points after following a 4-0 home win over Gladbach with a 3-3 draw away to Scottish champions Celtic last time out.

OFFICIAL LINE-UPS

BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Mascherano, Pique, Umtiti, Alba; Busquets, Iniesta, Rakitic; Neymar, Suarez, Messi

MANCHESTER CITY: Bravo; Zabaleta, Stones, Otamendi, Kolarov; Fernandinho, Gundogan; Sterling, Silva, Nolito; De Bruyne












The referee brings the second period to a close with Barcelona running out 4-0 winners on the night to move onto nine points in Group C. What a strange game! That is just about it from me tonight. Thanks for joining our live coverage of the match!

90 min+4 FULL-TIME: Barcelona 4-0 Man City

90 min+3 BOOKING! Sterling (Man City) is booked for a late challenge on Digne.

90 min+2 We are into the second of two additional minutes here.

90 min Neymar gets his goal as the Brazilian combines with Messi inside the Man City box before finishing past Caballero from close range. Not sure about the defending from the away side though.

89 min GOAL! Barcelona 4-0 Man City (Neymar)

87 min SAVE! Caballero gets down to keep out Neymar's spot kick.

87 min Barcelona have a penalty as Kolarov brings Messi to the deck with a poor challenge.

86 min PENALTY BARCELONA!

83 min SAVE! Rakitic finds Neymar with a super cross and Caballero has to get down to make the save. It was a wonderful cross and indeed run from Neymar, but Caballero made the stop.

82 min Man City have had plenty of good moments in this match, but have just been unable to find that pass in the final third of the field. There have been some positives for the visitors though.

80 min BARCELONA SUB! Andre Gomes replaces Iniesta for Barcelona.

79 min MAN CITY SUB! Aguero replaces Gundogan for the away side.

76 min Not too much happened in the first period, but we have had two goals and two red cards in the second and we are far from finished here. Barcelona sense more goals as they continue to commit players in the final third of the field, but Man City are threatening on the counter-attack.

74 min Barcelona are now down to 10 men as Mathieu picks up his second yellow for lunging into a tackle with Sterling. Not sure what the centre-back was thinking in that moment!

73 min RED CARD! MATHIEU!

72 min SAVE! Ter Stegen is down to keep out Kolarov's low free kick.

71 min BOOKING! Mathieu (Barcelona) is booked for a late challenge on Sterling.

70 min Hat-trick for Messi as Suarez makes use of a poor pass from Gundogan before squaring for the Argentine, who finishes from close range. Three of the best for this sensational talent once again.

69 min GOAL! Barcelona 3-0 Man City (Messi)

68 min Little over 20 minutes of football remaining and Man City have started to offer a threat in the last few minutes. It will be very interesting to see whether Aguero is introduced in the latter stages or whether he is saved for the Premier League clash with Southampton at the weekend.

66 min... Clichy heads behind under no pressure.

66 min Clichy handles and Barcelona have a free kick in a dangerous area here...

65 min SAVE! De Bruyne forces a smart save from Ter Stegen as Man City hit back.

64 min This could get ugly for Man City in the final 25 minutes, which is the last thing that they need after an impressive first-half performance. Barcelona have been far from their best tonight, but they lead 2-0 and are well on course to a third win in this particular section. The hosts are now comfortable.

62 min Barcelona have a killer second goal at Camp Nou as Iniesta feeds Messi and the Argentine, from just inside the Man City box, curls one into the bottom corner. Super finish from Messi once again.

61 min GOAL! Barcelona 2-0 Man City (Messi)

60 min Well, that was a crazy few minutes! Barcelona still lead 1-0 and they are now playing against the 10 men of Man City after Bravo was sent from the field for handling a Suarez effort outside his box. It is going to be very tough for the visitors to turn things around from this position.

58 min Eventually, Messi curls the resulting free kick over Man City's goal.

57 min MAN CITY SUBS! Caballero and Clichy replace Nolito and Zabaleta for the away side.

56 min Zabaleta took a late challenge from Digne and he dropped to the field some two minutes after the initial incident. Man City are going to be forced into two changes as they still need a goalkeeper!

55 min Stoppage in play here as Zabaleta hits the deck and the stretcher has been called.

54 min The referee had no option. Bravo came out and cleared the ball straight to Suarez, before hand-balling the striker's effort outside the penalty box. It is tough to take, but he had to go there.

54 min Oh my word! Bravo has just been sent off for Man City!

53 min RED CARD! BRAVO!

52 min CLOSE! Umtiti heads just wide of the Man City goal after a good run and connection from the French defender. First sign of life from Barcelona in the second period here.

51 min The next goal in this match - if there indeed is one - will be massive. A second for Barcelona would make things very difficult for Man City, but an equaliser and the visitors might well fancy a shock win. We have seen little from Neymar tonight, but there is still plenty of time for him to shine.

49 min Super cross from De Bruyne as the Belgian attacker finds space down the right before delivering, but Mascherano is on hand to make the clearance. Moments later, De Bruyne stings the palms of Ter Stegen as Barcelona are fast asleep at the back. It has has to be better from the home side.

47 min... no changes from either side at the interval, which is not too much of a surprise. However, you suspect that Aguero will feature at some point in the second period. Big 45 minutes coming up!

46 min RESTART! Barcelona resume the action on home soil here.


The referee brings the first period to a close with Barcelona leading 1-0 at the interval courtesy of a strike from Messi in the 17th minute of action. The home side, however, have actually been very disappointing in the final third of the field. The same can be said for Man City, although they did come to life in the final moments of the first period. Still all to play for in this one!


45 min+3 HALF-TIME: Barcelona 1-0 Man City

45 min+1 SAVE! Barcelona break down the other end and Bravo has to produce a double save to keep out Suarez, first using his leg before punching the ball over the crossbar!

45 min CHANCE! Super chance for Stones as the England centre-back meets a brilliant free kick from Silva, but his header is wide of the post. He just had to find the back of the net there!

44 min Gundogan attempts to pick out the far post after collecting a short corner from Nolito, but the German's effort lands on the top of the net. The quality in this first half has been poor!

43 min Well, this has been a very strange first period. Barcelona have actually been quite poor, but they lead due to Man City's struggles in the final third of the field. Neither team has produced their best performance in the opening 43 minutes, that is for sure. Let's hope for improvement after the break.

40 min BOOKING! Fernandinho (Man City) is booked for a late challenge on Neymar.

39 min BARCELONA SUB! Barcelona are forced into another change as Mathieu replaces Pique. Second enforced change in the Barcelona back four in this opening period.

39 min SAVE! Stunning save from Ter Stegen to keep out Gundogan's close-range effort. The German broke into the Barcelona box, but was denied by a really brilliant save.

38 min De Bruyne finds space in a wide position before attempting to thread a low cross into the box, but Ter Stegen is on hand to claim. Surely Guardiola will be thinking about Aguero in the second period. Moments later, Nolito breaks down the other side and brings a decent stop from Ter Stegen.

35 min Zabaleta flies into Suarez, but still no booking! Busquets has something to say to the referee and it must be said that the Argentine has got away with another one there. Very lenient referee here.

34 min It must be said that the opening 34 minutes of this match have just flown past. Barcelona lead, but clear chances have been few and far between. The home side might well be forced into another change here as Mathieu receives some instructions. Pique does not look capable of continuing here.

32 min CHANCE! Rakitic heads a Messi free kick wide of the post from close range!

31 min SAVE! Super goalkeeping from Bravo as the Man City stopper comes out to deny Neymar, who looked favourite to meet a pass from Umtiti. Strong goalkeeping from the Chilean.

30 min Pique is trying to run the injury off, but Mathieu has been sent to warm-up. Surely the next late challenge will see a yellow card awarded. Man City could have had a couple of bookings here.

29 min Pique is still down following that terrible challenge from Silva.

28 min Silva is the latest player to escape a booking for a late challenge on Pique, which was late and from behind. Not quite sure how that was not a yellow card, but the referee was not interested.

26 min Barcelona might be ahead, but they have not exactly been impressive in the opening 26 minutes of this match. In fact, I am struggling to think of the last time that they were this sloppy in the final third of the field. Man City continue to impress, but they have not created a serious chance here.

24 min It has been a busy last couple of minutes for the referee as late challenges continue to occur all over the park. Indeed, Zabaleta is fortunate to escape a booking for what was a rash challenge on Neymar.

22 min More danger for Man City as Suarez finds himself free in a wide position before delivering into Messi, but the visitors get bodies in the way and Suarez is eventually flagged offside.

21 min Man City have played very well in the early exchanges of this match and it is important that their heads do not drop after conceding that unfortunate opening goal. The problem, though, is that another Barcelona goal could mean game, set and match. It is very delicately poised at Camp Nou.

18 min And just like that, Barcelona take the lead. It is a fortunate break for the home side though as Fernandinho slips inside the Barcelona box and Messi is first on the scene to tempt Bravo into a save before slipping the ball past his former teammate. Big blow for Man City at this stage!

17 min GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Man City (Messi)

16 min It is very interesting to watch a game where both goalkeepers are not allowed to kick the ball long! Everything is short into a defender and both have already had problems thus far tonight. Man City have another chance to break with Nolito, but the Spaniard cannot squeeze a cross past Pique.

13 min Barcelona have been very low-key in the opening 13 minutes of this match. Not too much of an atmosphere at the moment, meanwhile, which is a reflection on a match that is just simmering here.

11 min Man City are pressing very high at the moment and that is forcing Barcelona to concede possession inside their own half. It has been a positive opening 12 minutes from the visitors, but all it takes is one moment for Neymar, Messi and Suarez to burst into life. Just takes a second.

9 min BARCELONA SUB! Barcelona are forced into an early change as Lucas Digne takes the place of Alba, who limps off the field. Might well have aggravated a previous hamstring problem!

8 min Sterling has seen plenty of the ball inside the opening eight minutes of this match, while Man City are actually enjoying themselves at the moment as they continue to enjoy good possession in the final third. We are yet to see too much from the front three that is Messi, Suarez and Neymar here.

6 min Mascherano has to head behind as De Bruyne delivers a dangerous cross into the Barcelona box. It has been a pretty good start from the visitors, who are already causing problems when they have possession of the ball. Neither side has been able to really threaten in the early minutes though.

4 min Silva delivers a low cross into De Bruyne as Man City threaten on the counter-attack, but Ter Stegen is on hand to claim before Messi breaks down the other end. Nice lively start to this one.

3 min Neymar is allowed to drive into the Man City box after escaping the attention of Nolito, but the Brazilian cannot pick out a teammate. Already a dangerous moment for the away side's defence.

2 min... you just get the feeling that the first goal tonight - if there indeed is one - could be crucial. De Bruyne has indeed started through the middle for Man City tonight, while Mascherano has slotted in at right-back for the home side. Already a bit of nervy football at the back from Barcelona here.

0 min KICKOFF! A few minutes late, Man City kick things off in Spain...