Manchester City and Barcelona played out an entertaining 3-3 draw at the Camp Nou on Thursday as the two teams took part in a mid-season friendly. The funds from the match were to be donated for research related to ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Former Barça player and coach Juan Carlos Unzue was diagnosed with ALS over two years ago.
Pep Guardiola returned back to his former club side in Catalunia and secured a 3-3 draw thanks to Riyad Mahrez's last-gasp strike. Earlier, Man City had taken the lead in the game, with summer signing Julian Alvarez capitalising after a mistake from Barca goalkeeper Inaki Pena.
The home side however responded in stunning fashion as goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay put Barca in the driving seat.
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Cole Palmer scored in the 70th minute to give his side a glimmer of hope, and the game was level once Mahrez scored from the penalty spot, after Andreas Christensen was judged to have tripped Erling Haaland deep into the stoppage time.
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Despite being a mid-season friendly, both sides showed good intensity as Man City's goalie Ortega was forced into an early save, and from their first attack, Guardiola's side took the lead.
Alvarez drove through on goal, before setting it up for a teammate, the striker moved into the box, anticipating a cross, however, the cross from left-back Sergio Gomez was too strong. It appeared that Barca goalie Pena would easily collect the ball but he fumbled somehow, to gift the visitors a bizarre goal, with Alvarez tapping in from close range.
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Barca did however get back on level terms soon enough as Raphinha delivered a free-kick into the box, which wasn't cleared properly by Palmer. The ball dropped to Aubameyang who smashed a lethal volley from a tight angle to beat the Man City keeper on his near post.
Pena did redeem himself as he made two excellent saves shortly after, but a howler from City defence allowed de Jong to smash home and give Barca the lead.
The contest continued to go back and forth as Palmer tapped in from close range to make it 2-2 after he was expertly found inside the Barca box from Joao Cancelo.
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Sergi Roberto then fed Depay at the other end to give Barca the lead once again, but in the final minute of stoppage time, Haaland appeared to be tripped by Christensen while chasing a long ball, the referee gave a penalty which Mahrez duly dispatched to bring City level at 3-3.
