In this match, Manchester City used a 4-4-2 formation. City's starting lineup included Joe Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Clichy; Nasri, Fernando, Milner, Silva; Edin Dzeko, Aguero.
Enrique, on the other hand, deployed a 4-3-3 formation featuring his key players: Ter Stegen; Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta; Messi, Suarez, Neymar.
Manchester City wore their home blue kit, while Barcelona donned their green jersey.
The referee's whistle marked the start of the match.
City wasted no time asserting themselves in the opening moments of the match. A swift attacking move saw Edin Dzeko unleash a powerful strike from outside the penalty area, only for Barcelona's defense to stand firm and block the effort.
Just minutes later, in the 9th minute, Manchester City earned a promising free kick just outside Barcelona's box. James Milner stepped up confidently and drove a low shot toward goal, but it was thwarted by a well-placed Barcelona defender.
Barcelona began to find their rhythm as the clock ticked into the 12th minute. Iniesta, with his characteristic vision, slipped a perfectly weighted pass to Neymar. With effortless grace, Neymar danced past Zabaleta and surged into the penalty area. Spotting Messi making a run, he delivered a crisp pass. The Argentine maestro struck the ball with precision, but City's captain, Vincent Kompany, executed a perfectly timed block to deny the goal.
The breakthrough came in the 13th minute. Messi, operating from the right flank, whipped in a teasing cross toward Luis Suarez. Rising above the defense, Suarez headed the ball, but it ricocheted off Demichelis. Reacting swiftly, the Uruguayan regained possession, carved out a sliver of space, and unleashed a shot that rippled the back of the net.
The Etihad Stadium erupted, but only on one side. Barcelona's traveling fans celebrated wildly, their cheers echoing through the arena. In contrast, City's supporters grew increasingly uneasy, their confidence waning as their team struggled to cope with Barcelona's dominance.
By the 15th minute, Barcelona had achieved 65% ball possession, showcasing an overwhelming dominance in the first quarter-hour.
Despite Pellegrini's pre-match statement that City would play an attacking game, Barcelona's relentless pressure in the first half proved otherwise.
Barcelona relentlessly pressed forward, carving out opportunities with their trademark fluidity. The inevitable second goal arrived in the 30th minute through a beautifully orchestrated move. Jordi Alba, positioned in midfield, played a quick pass to Rakitic. The Croatian midfielder scanned the field, searching for options, until Messi's unmistakable call drew his attention to the flank. Without hesitation, Rakitic delivered the ball to Messi.
Messi, ever the magician, glided past a cluster of City defenders with his trademark dribbling finesse. Spotting Alba making a darting run, Messi threaded a perfectly weighted through ball into his path.
Reaching the byline, Alba sent a precise low cross into the heart of the box. Despite being surrounded by City defenders, Luis Suarez demonstrated his predatory instincts, stretching out to prod the ball past Joe Hart and into the net.
Cheers from Barcelona fans, the "cules," echoed through the Etihad Stadium, while silence fell over City supporters. Players on the pitch appeared bewildered.
On the sidelines, Pellegrini gestured frantically, urging his players to push forward.
City tried to attack but made yet another mistake. Demichelis attempted a long pass but misjudged it, causing the ball to ricochet off Fernando and rebound towards City's defensive line.
Sensing an opportunity, Neymar sprinted towards the loose ball and dribbled it towards goal. Luckily, Clichy intervened just in time to block Neymar's shot.
By halftime, the score remained unchanged.
"What is that? The first-half performance was just awful," Adarabioyo complained, clearly disappointed with the senior team's display in the opening half.
"Neymar is skillful, Luis Suarez is very clinical, and Messi is simply wonderful. The three of them are incredible players, and their chemistry with the rest of the team is amazing. Their movement and passing are so fluid. I think they're the best trio I've ever seen."
Unlike Adarabioyo, Maffeo seemed to enjoy the match, appreciating Barcelona's entertaining style of play.
"Their front three is indeed phenomenal, but Rakitic couldn't replace Xavi, and Iniesta is aging. Barcelona's midfield isn't as dominant as it was under Guardiola," Kenneth remarked, evaluating Barcelona under Luis Enrique.
In the years following their Champions League triumph, Barcelona consistently fell short in the tournament. One significant reason was their inability to find replacements for Xavi and Iniesta.
As a team built on a tiki-taka philosophy, Barcelona's best defense was their ball possession. However, without players who could maintain possession and dictate the tempo, their opponents often gained more chances, leading to frequent counterattacks.
The result was a series of goals conceded while Barcelona struggled to score, as most opponents employed defensive strategies against them. From the 2015–16 to the 2018–19 seasons, every time Barcelona exited the Champions League, they failed to score an away goal at that stage.
This inability to score away goals wouldn't have been as critical if their defense had been stronger. However, Barcelona's defenders often lacked the pure defensive skills needed for such situations.
"Ah, the match is about to start again."
Kenneth snapped out of his thoughts and watched as both teams emerged from the tunnel once more.
The Barcelona players appeared relaxed, in stark contrast to the serious expressions on the faces of the Manchester City players.
When the second half began, Kenneth was surprised to see City players bravely attacking Barcelona. To stop Barcelona's offense, City didn't hesitate to employ physical play. They also pressed Barcelona's midfielders aggressively, trying to regain possession.
In the 50th minute, City fans almost erupted in celebration when Edin Dzeko found himself unmarked and headed the ball. However, his effort went straight into Ter Stegen's hands.
Manchester City repeatedly threatened Barcelona, but the Spanish team's goal remained untouched.
David Silva dispossessed Iniesta and passed to Aguero. Aguero looked for an opening and shot, but his effort missed the target.
In the 62nd minute, Fernandinho replaced Nasri. Six minutes later, Wilfried Bony came on for Edin Dzeko.
Shortly after Bony's introduction, Ter Stegen launched the ball forward. However, David Silva intercepted it once again and passed to Fernandinho. The Brazilian delivered a forward pass.
Barcelona's defense was thrown into disarray by the simultaneous presence of Bony and Aguero. Aguero received the ball, dribbled into the box, and fired a shot. The ball went past Ter Stegen and into the net.
"Goaaaaaal!" Adarabioyo shouted in excitement.
"Why didn't we attack like this from the start?" Pablo Maffeo asked, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Maybe the senior players were nervous and couldn't execute the strategy properly," Kenneth replied.
After all, Pellegrini had stated they would attack Barcelona from the outset.
The goal boosted Manchester City's momentum. However, Barcelona, unwilling to let their lead slip, responded with their own attacks.
Unfortunately for City, bad luck struck in the 73rd minute. Clichy raised his foot too high and hit Alves on the knee. It was his second yellow card, and he was sent off.
Now down to ten men, City's search for an equalizer became significantly harder. Barcelona, with the numerical advantage, regained dominance.
Pellegrini eventually conceded and substituted David Silva for Bacary Sagna to strengthen the defense.
Barcelona also made a change, bringing on Adriano for the injured Alves.
Towards the end of the match, Zabaleta brought Messi down in the penalty area. Barcelona were awarded a penalty, giving them a chance to extend their lead.
However, Joe Hart guessed Messi's shot direction correctly and saved it. Kenneth and the others cheered for Hart's brilliant performance.