MAN CITY U19 0, BARCELONA U19 2
Manchester City U19s fell some way short as they were beaten at home by Barcelona in the UEFA Youth League.
The Catalans completed a double over City to virtually assure themselves of top spot in group C with a fourth straight victory after an accomplished performance in which they handed the hosts a lesson in the art of possession and clinical finishing.
And in Carles Perez on the left wing they had a mini Messi such was the trickery of the player while Jordi Mboula also impressed on the right of midfield.
It was those two dangermen who combined for Barcelona’s opening goal after 19 minutes as Perez wove his way to the byline and cut the ball back for Mboula to score with a sweetly-struck shot.
And they doubled their lead on the stroke of half time with another terrific striker, a low shot on the run from left-back Marc Cucurella.
Barcelona may have added further goals as Mboula was twice denied by keeper Daniel Grimshaw while Bruno Guillemenot also had a chance.
City, with two wins from four group game, had a number of goal attempts and Brahim Diaz could have had two as he was denied by keeper Sergi Puig and then pulled another effort across the face of goal while Sadou Diallo’s volley flew just past the upright.
There was a bright start to the second period as they carved out a number of chances, the best when Paolo Fernandes brought a decent diving save from Puig.
Barcelona weathered that initial City onslaught and gradually reimposed their hold on the game. And Guillemenot had two great chances to increase the lead, each time firing just over.
City ought to have halved the deficit with three minus left when Lucas Nmecha had an open goal as he ran on to Luke Bolton’s cross, but inexplicably fired against the upright.
Nmecha was denied again when he found the net after bursting clear only to have strayed offside.
Nmecha burst clear once more as goalkeeper Puig made a great block as it was not to be City’s day in front of goal.