Barcelona overcame injury-plagued Manchester City to finish top of Group D in the Women’s Champions League with a comfortable 3-0 win at the Olympic Stadium.
City, which qualified for the quarter-finals in second place, suffered without its stars Khadija Shaw, Chloe Kelly, Alex Greenwood, Vivienne Miedema and Lauren Hemp, as Barcelona needs to win by two clear goals to finish above the visitors on goal difference.
The hosts scored 30 shots, forcing City goalkeeper Khiara Keating into 14 saves, before finally getting the better of them just before half-time when Claudia Pena fired in a powerful shot from inside the penalty area.
Claudia Pena (left) celebrates after putting Barcelona ahead
City came the closest to scoring when Jill Roord’s long-range shot hit the crossbar.
Barcelona scored the second goal before the hour mark when Aitana Bonmatti broke through the City defense and finished between Keating’s legs.
Alexia Putellas quickly sealed the win just minutes after coming off the bench, firing a shot past Keating from the edge of the penalty area.
Barcelona player Alexia Putellas scored the third goal
The two teams finished the league with 15 points, but Barcelona took the lead thanks to their superior goal difference, which means that City is now in Group B in the knockout stage and may face a more difficult draw.
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