On Wednesday, October 9, Manchester City will kick off their UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage against reigning champions Barcelona in an exciting match to open Group D.
Both teams feature players who have a history of excellence with the opposing side, including Keira Walsh, a lifelong supporter of City. Nonetheless, Barcelona remains a leading force in European women’s football, continually raising the bar for the sport.
City’s captain, Alex Greenwood, referred to the Barcelona team as “the best in the world” during her pre-match statements.
She emphasized the need to respect their opponents while aiming to play their own game. “They’re the champions for a reason,” she noted, “but we will also focus on imposing our style of play on them.”
The Sporting News will provide live updates and commentary for the match between Man City Women and Barcelona Femeni.
Latest live updates | Team news and lineups | Where to watch
Score Update: Man City vs. Barcelona Femeni
2nd Half | Goal Scorers | |
Man City | 1 | Layzell 36′ |
Barcelona | 0 |
Venue: Joie Stadium, Manchester
Referee: Stephanie Frappart (France)
Lineups:
Manchester City (4-3-3 formation): 31. Yamashita (GK) — 3. Layzell, 4. Aleixandri, 5. Greenwood, 18. Casparij — 16. Park, 25. Hasegawa, 6. Miedema — 8. Fowler, 21. Shaw, 11. Hemp
Barcelona (4-3-3 formation): 13. Coll (GK) — 22. Batlle, 23. Engen, 4. Leon, 16. Rolfo — 14. Bonmati, 21. Walsh, 12. Patri — 10. Graham Hansen, 17. Pajor, 11. Putellas
Live Updates, Highlights, and Commentary for Man City vs. Barcelona Femeni
57 mins: Leon sends it out for a goal kick and City can settle for a moment.
55 mins: Barcelona advances down the right against City. Casparij concedes a corner while dealing with Graham Hansen’s pressure. Is this where the visitors start to take control? The corner is cleared, but now Barcelona has a free-kick in a threatening position.
54 mins: Bonmati has been somewhat quiet but delivers a beautiful pass to Graham Hansen. She finds Putellas, who shoots but is met with a fantastic block from Aleixandri!
53 mins: Hemp’s corner targets Shaw, who is tackled but City keeps Barcelona on the back foot.
52 mins: A shaky moment for Engen as Park delivers a low cross, earning a corner for City.
48 mins: Ohhh, Miedema should have scored! Park’s inviting free-kick from the left just glances off her — a more decisive header could have put City up by two.
47 mins: Hemp combines well with Casparij, who is fouled. Graham Hansen receives a yellow for the tackle.
Kickoff: 2nd Half
And we’re back! Will City maintain their performance, or will Barcelona find their rhythm and capitalize as City potentially drops intensity?
Halftime Analysis
City leads 1-0 thanks to Naomi Layzell’s debut goal for the club. They have been impressive in both offense and defense, though it’s arguable they could have increased their lead. If they leave Barcelona hanging in the match, it may cost them later on. Notably, Barcelona also trailed 1-0 at halftime in their recent match against Madrid CFF, which they still won decisively 8-1.
45 mins+2: More frantic defensive play from Barcelona gives Fowler a chance, but she shoots over from outside the box. City should really be leading by more than one!
45 mins: Two minutes added at the end of a thrilling first half.
42 mins: Barcelona generates their first notable attack in a while through Graham Hansen, who shoots but Yamashita makes the save.
39 mins: Shaw is currently receiving treatment. Taylor is hoping for no serious injuries since she has been pivotal for City.
38 mins: Almost a second goal! Shaw outmaneuvers Walsh and Bonmati, allowing Miedema to enter the box, but Batlle makes a crucial last-second stop. Barcelona is under significant pressure.
36 mins: GOOOAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!! Naomi Layzell!!!
It’s a blunder for Coll. Although she made a remarkable save moments before, she misjudges a high ball, allowing Miedema to redirect it onto Layzell, who scores her first goal for City, taking the lead they rightfully earned.
CIIIIITYYYYYY !!!
Naomi Layzell transforms Joie Stadium into Dreamland, as the hosts lead the European champions.
Watch live for free on DAZN #UWCL #UWCLonDAZN pic.twitter.com/L4xL8GoeyN
— DAZN Women’s Football (@DAZNWFootball) October 9, 2024
35 mins: Incredible save by Coll! City crafts a beautiful sequence on the left with Miedema setting up Park for a shot, but Coll reacts just in time.
32 mins: Fowler’s shot from the free-kick sails over Shaw and the net.
30 mins: Leon fouls Shaw as she charges down the left. The necessary yellow card is shown.
28 mins: Stunning play by Fowler as she switches the ball to the left. Coll handles Hemp’s cross easily.
23 mins: Shaw pivots at the edge of the area and earns a corner, although the corner from that play doesn’t lead to anything significant.
21 mins: City presses again with Park crossing to Miedema, who slightly misses the pass. The hosts have started strong, but they must capitalize on their chances.
19 mins: ALEIXANDRI TO THE RESCUE! A defensive blunder nearly allows Pajor to score, but Aleixandri steps in to clear the danger.
Laia Aleixandri showing her skills to deny Barcelona an early goal!
Catch the action live for free on DAZN #UWCL #UWCLonDAZN pic.twitter.com/E1cjpYWpZM
— DAZN Women’s Football (@DAZNWFootball) October 9, 2024
16 minutes into the match: HEMP STRIKES THE POST! City should be leading as Fowler delivers a fantastic pass behind the defense for Shaw. Rather than shooting, Shaw makes a cutback that is too far for Meidema, leading to Hemp, who blasts the ball against the post. Their teammates missed a crucial chance before the ball got to her.
14 minutes in: Shaw is proving troublesome for Barcelona down the left side. Miedema attempts to finish off her cutback, but it gets blocked. Barcelona tries to counter, though Aleixandri brings down Putellas and earns a yellow card.
13 minutes in: Putellas shows off a brilliant first touch that gets her ready to shoot, but her well-struck attempt goes directly to Yamashita.
12 minutes in: Coll feels pressured again and can only clear the ball to Greenwood. This seems to be a planned strategy from City. Hemp gets into the box but is judged to have fouled Batlle.
9 minutes in: Hemp manages to take the ball from Graham Hansen but misdirects her pass intended for Shaw. City’s players repeatedly undermine some solid plays by recklessly seeking their striker. They must improve their ball control to disrupt Barcelona’s flow effectively.
8 minutes in: City receives a corner, delayed due to some commotion in the Barcelona box. Hemp sends it to the back post, only for Miedema to be adjudged to have committed a foul.
6 minutes in: Shaw nearly puts pressure on Barca goalkeeper Col into making a mistake, allowing City to maintain their offensive presence. Park’s attempt gets blocked fiercely by Leon as Shaw struggles to control the ball.
4 minutes in: City pushes forward but loses possession when right-back Layzell mishandles it. Graham Hansen exchanges passes with Putellas, and she hits a shot that narrowly misses, hitting the outside of the near post instead!
Match Begins: 1st Half
Barcelona starts the game. City immediately applies high pressure, a risky tactic if they maintain it throughout the match.
4 minutes before kickoff: The teams enter a packed arena, setting the stage for an exciting match.
15 minutes before kickoff: The match is taking place at Joie Stadium, located next to the Etihad Stadium and part of the City Football Academy. With a capacity of 7,000, the venue is sold out to see Barcelona play.
Excited to be here! #ManCity | #UWCL pic.twitter.com/Rm62jCnX3a
— Manchester City Women (@ManCityWomen) October 9, 2024
30 minutes before kickoff: In another Group D match, Hammarby secured a 2-0 victory over St Polten. Meanwhile, in a thrilling encounter, Bayern Munich triumphed 5-2 against Arsenal, with the highlight being Pernille Harder’s hat trick.
HAT TRICK FOR PERNILLE HARDER!
Watch live for free on DAZN #UWCL #UWCLonDAZN pic.twitter.com/mpXjsml5zv
— DAZN Women’s Football (@DAZNWFootball) October 9, 2024
40 minutes before kickoff: Coach Gareth Taylor has shared his thoughts ahead of the match with the club’s website.
The players are eager and looking forward to this challenge. It’s exciting to be back in the Champions League, and we aim to advance further. Tonight’s opponent is tough, but it’s a match we’re enthusiastic about.
Predicting how the match will unfold is difficult, but we need to regain possession quickly when we lose the ball. We have the potential to cause them problems if we play well.
1 hour before kickoff: Team lineups have been announced. Mary Fowler is a surprising starter for City alongside Lauren Hemp and Bunny Shaw, while Alexia Putellas features in Barcelona’s front line with Patri Guijarro, Keira Walsh, and Aitana Bonmati in midfield.
Tonight’s lineup!
XI | Yamashita, Layzell, Aleixandri, Greenwood (C), Miedema, Fowler, Hemp, Park, Casparij, Shaw, Hasegawa
SUBS | Keating, Startup, Coombs, Kelly, Roord, Kennedy, Ouahabi, Blindkilde Brown, Fujino, Prior, Thomas, Murphy#ManCity | #UWCL pic.twitter.com/hLpmJm0xmZ
— Manchester City Women (@ManCityWomen) October 9, 2024
BARÇA LINEUP pic.twitter.com/Q85xuVco7h
— FC Barcelona Femení (@FCBfemeni) October 9, 2024
1 hour and 30 minutes before kickoff: City faces a tough challenge against a team that has claimed the Champions League title for the last two seasons and three of the last four, losing only to Lyon in the final once. However, when these teams last met in this competition, City emerged victorious 2-1. Notably, Barcelona advanced from that 2021 matchup by winning the first leg 3-0.
2 hours until the match starts. Welcome to the UEFA Women’s Champions League showdown in Group D featuring Manchester City and Barcelona. Gareth Taylor’s team, which competes in the WSL, hasn’t been in the tournament since the 2020/21 season, making this a challenging opener for them.
Kickoff Time for Man City vs. Barcelona Femeni
The match will commence in Manchester at 8 p.m. local time.
Here’s how that translates in key regions:
Date | Kickoff time | |
USA | Wed, Oct 9 | 3 p.m. ET |
Canada | Wed, Oct 9 | 3 p.m. ET |
UK | Wed, Oct 9 | 8 p.m. BST |
Australia | Thu, Oct 10 | 6 a.m. AEDT |
India | Thu, Oct 10 | 12 a.m. IST |
Catch every match of the 2024/25 UEFA Women’s Champions League LIVE on DAZN.
Lineups and Team News for Man City vs. Barcelona Femeni
Star forward Bunny Shaw is included in City’s starting XI. The Jamaican international had recently returned from a groin issue, appearing as a substitute in their previous 2-0 WSL win over West Ham.
Jess Park is sidelined due to a foot injury, while Jill Roord made a notable comeback after nine months out with an ACL injury. Park will partner with standout summer signing Vivianne Miedema in midfield, while Roord along with England’s Chloe Kelly starts on the bench since Mary Fowler has been selected for the attack.
Lineup (4-3-3): Yamashita (GK) — Layzell, Aleixandri, Greenwood, Casparij — Park, Hasegawa, Miedema — Fowler, Shaw, Hemp
Substitutes: Keating (GK), Startup (GK), Coombs, Kelly, Roord, Kennedy, Ouahabi, Brown, Fujino, Prior, Thomas, Murphy
Barcelona manager Pere Romeu had to adjust his team against Madrid CFF recently but had to rely on key players when they trailed 1-0 at halftime.
Star players Alexia Putellas, Claudia Pina, Fridolina Rolfo, Irene Paredes, and Ona Batlle were crucial in the impressive 8-1 victory and start the match tonight. Putellas leads the attack, with Batlle and Rolfo taking their established full-back roles.
This match is premature for forward Salma Paralluelo, but former City keeper Ellie Roebuck is on the bench.
Barcelona lineup (4-3-3): Coll (GK) — Batlle, Engen, Leon, Rolfo — Bonmati, Walsh, Patri — Graham Hansen, Pajor, Putellas
Barcelona substitutes: Gemma (GK), Roebuck (GK), Paredes, Jana Fernandez, Torrejon, Pina, Nazareth, Lopez, Martina Fernandez, Brugts, Cano
Where to Watch Man City vs. Barcelona Femeni Live
You can find the viewing details for this match in significant locations below:
United States:
- TV: —
- Stream: DAZN
Canada:
- TV: —
- Stream: DAZN
UK:
- TV: TNT Sports 1
- Stream: discovery+, DAZN