Manchester Metropolis completed as UEFA Girls’s Champions League Group D runners up after a 3-0 defeat to reigning European champions Barcelona.
’s aspect wanted to keep away from defeat or lose by a single objective to qualify as group winners, however it was a tall order for a depleted Metropolis workforce in Catalonia.
The Blues weathered the Barcelona storm nicely within the opening 45 however discovered ourselves behind on the stroke of half-time when Claudia Pina fired residence.
Aitana Bonmati made it two simply earlier than the hour after being despatched via on the Olympic Stadium, with Alexia Putellas discovering the underside nook for quantity three.
It means Metropolis’s 100% file within the competitors is over, and we are going to face certainly one of Olympique Lyonnais, Chelsea, Bayern Munich or Arsenal within the quarter-finals, being performed in March 2025.
Metropolis’s 2-0 win over the European Champions in our opening fixture meant we got here into our last group conflict as leaders, three factors forward of the hosts.
However the Blues have been lacking a number of key gamers forward of kick-off and knew we must climate a major Barcelona storm within the early levels.
was first referred to as into motion round three minutes in, tipping a Salma Paralluelo effort across the put up after the winger had conjured up house on the correct.
And the Metropolis stopper would pull off one other magnificent save moments later when tipping a Mapi Leon’s header over the bar from a nook.
The Blues have been being pressured again however holding agency and compelled Cata Coll into her first save halfway via the opening 45 when tried her luck from distance on the counter.
However the majority of the play was nonetheless Barcelona’s, with Paralluelo slipping on the very important second when shaping to shoot moments earlier than Esme Brugts curled an effort simply over the bar.
Keating, who had barely put a foot mistaken, then below hit a cross to which was picked out by Bonmati, however the midfielder fired Barcelona’s finest likelihood of the opening half hour extensive with the objective gaping.
The goalkeeper instantly atoned for her error with one other unbelievable response save to disclaim Brugts quickly after because the reigning champions’ assault on the Metropolis objective continued.
However for all of Barcelona’s dominance, the Blues continued to battle and have been a lick of paint away from the opener when rifled a vicious effort from distance off the bar as we entered the ultimate ten minutes of the half.
Keating as soon as once more was Metropolis’s saviour as half-time approached although, tipping Ewa Pajor’s effort past the put up when the ahead was in a single on one.
However the opener would come within the forty fourth minute, with Pina leaping on a free ball within the Blues’ field to fireplace residence.
The second half started in an analogous method to the primary, with Barcelona on the entrance foot however thwarted by Keating, who saved nicely to stop Pina from grabbing her and the hosts’ second contained in the opening minute.
Pajor was subsequent to go shut, with our stopper getting down nicely to her proper to maintain Metropolis high of the group, earlier than former Blue Keira Walsh fired extensive on the half volley from a nook.
However the stress finally instructed regardless of the Blues’ continued heroics on the again, with Bonmati making no mistake when despatched via on objective, firing below the physique of Keating.
The FIFA FIFPRO Participant of the Yr ought to’ve added her second simply after the hour when a beneficial deflection fell her means, however the midfielder rattled the ball in opposition to the bar from close-range to maintain Metropolis within the combat.
Putellas was launched quickly after and the two-time Ballon d’Or winner added a 3rd for the hosts quickly after with a medical end after Metropolis had misplaced the ball on the sting of the field.
In typical trend, the Blues fought till the tip, with substitute ‘s claims for a penalty waved away as stoppage time approached.
virtually discovered the web quickly after in opposition to her former membership quickly after, forcing Cata Coll right into a advantageous save right down to her left.
However it was to no avail, with Metropolis signing off for 2024 with a defeat, regardless of a valiant effort from minute one.
named an unchanged workforce from Sunday’s Barclays Girls’s Tremendous League conflict in opposition to Everton, with the one tweak seeing begin in a central position and change to the correct.
’s objective was protected by a again 4 of , , and .
, and made up the midfield three, with Fowler and beginning on both flank and Park main the road.
Barcelona XI: Coll, Batlle (J. Fernandez 88′), Paredes, Leon (C), Brugts, Walsh (Nazareth 76’), Bonmati (Lopez 88′), Guijarro, Paralluelo (Rolfo 76’), Pajor, Pina (Putellas 66’)
Substitutes: Cano, Engen, M. Fernandez, Font, Graham Hansen, Roebuck, Torrejon
Metropolis XI: Keating, Casparij, Kennedy, Aleixandri (C), Ouahabi, Hasegawa, Roord, Blindkilde Brown (Murphy 60’), Fowler, Fujino, Park (Coombs 81’).
Substitutes: Yamashita, Startup, Layzell, Prior, Thomas, O’Carroll.
Up subsequent
Metropolis are set for a well-earned relaxation as we enter the WSL’s winter break.
Our first match of 2025 sees us welcome Ipswich City to the Joie Stadium on Sunday 12 January within the FA Cup Fourth Spherical.
Kick-off is about for 13:00 (UK), with tickets on sale .