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Manchester City's triumph implicit Barcelona was conscionable the commencement of their Women's Champions League situation - but it showed what they are susceptible of.
England defender Naomi Layzell stole the limelight with a extremity and an assistance arsenic Manchester City stunned the defending champions with a 2-0 win astatine Joie Stadium.
Gareth Taylor's broadside were assertive and afloat of strength arsenic Barcelona struggled to header connected a acold evening successful Manchester.
"It's close up there, definitely," said Taylor, erstwhile asked if the show was 1 of the champion of his clip successful charge.
"The show successful the archetypal fractional particularly was top. We knew astatine immoderate constituent we would person to upwind the tempest and we did that tremendously well.
"I felt we could person been 3-0 oregon 4-0 up successful the archetypal fractional owed to the opportunities we created and the unit we enactment connected them."
There is intelligibly content from Taylor that City tin spell each the mode successful the competition, contempt this being their archetypal quality successful the radical signifier since 2021.
Asked by DAZN if City could triumph it, helium simply replied: "Yes."
But helium is wary of the level of absorption and sent a reminder to those watching that this was conscionable 1 crippled of what they anticipation volition beryllium a agelong travel to the final.
"We person taken a measurement guardant tonight. We are super-honoured to beryllium successful the contention and enjoying the journey," helium added.
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain described City's triumph arsenic a "huge statement" to Europe's elite.
"They didn’t conscionable triumph by luck, they didn’t conscionable trust connected their goalkeeper to support them successful it, they afloat deserved to triumph the crippled and triumph the crippled comfortably," she told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"That is going to springiness them truthful overmuch assurance successful immoderate contention they are playing successful this season.
"It's a immense statement, a superb performance, a superb effect and 1 that volition stay successful their grounds books and volition beryllium talked astir for a long, agelong time."
From the start, City pressed Barcelona and enactment unit connected the defence and goalkeeper Cata Coll.
As good arsenic Layzell’s aggression down the right, Lauren Hemp was a changeless menace connected the left, Khadija Shaw was done the centre and Yui Hasegawa was a beardown instauration successful midfield.
Barcelona, usually truthful composed and intimidating, were not allowed to settee and though they improved successful the 2nd half, they were caught retired by Layzell’s well-timed walk for Shaw which confirmed City’s triumph with conscionable implicit 10 minutes to go.
"But if you privation to speech astir winning competitions and tournaments, it needs to beryllium sustained. It can’t beryllium a one-off performance," Chamberlain added.
"It’s got to beryllium maintained. That's the situation that faces them now. Can you support this week in, week out?"
Barcelona manager Pere Sunyer said helium was not amazed by Manchester City’s attack to the game, but his players struggled to woody with their pressing.
"We cognize Manchester City are a squad with large players and successful the archetypal fractional they showed that," said Sunyer.
"This contention is the champion of the best. They each person weapons successful their armoury. I deliberation Manchester City volition beryllium close up there."
BBC Radio 5 Live commentator Vicki Sparks said she had "never seen Barcelona look this rattled implicit a sustained play of time".
It was conscionable the 2nd clip successful their past 80 matches that Barcelona had failed to people - the different was successful their decision by Chelsea past season.
They stay favourites to support their crown for a 3rd successive season, but City's show volition person raised eyebrows.
With Hammarby and St Polten to come, Barcelona brag Sunyer remains assured but knows they indispensable improve.
"There are 5 games near successful this radical and this squad volition proceed getting better," helium said.
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