European heavyweights Barcelona and Manchester City played out an enthralling 3-3 draw in their charity match at the Spotify Camp Nou on Wednesday.
The mouth-watering tie was organised to raise funds for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research.
The match honoured Juan Carlos Unzue, who played and coached Barcelona. Early in 2020, he was diagnosed with ALS and announced it during a press conference at Spotify Camp Nou.
The game was organised by Unzue, Joan Laporta and Pep Guardiola.
The game saw Guardiola return to Barcelona, where he started his career as a footballer and made his name as a coach.
It was the first time the two sides met since 2016 in the Champions League.
City came into the game off an exhilarating 3-3 draw against Newcastle United, while Barcelona swatted Real Sociedad aside 4-1.
The game offered a chance to fringe players to show what they could contribute while first-team players used it to build form and fitness.
91,062 fans showed up to watch this friendly.
Barcelona show fighting spirit to draw against Manchester City in the first half
Unzue kicked off the game. Barcelona and Manchester City started at a high tempo despite the friendly atmosphere.
Franck Kessie hit the post in the opening minutes before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang peppered Inaki Pena with a shot minutes later.
The game began to calm down as both teams decided to temper the pace in favour of more constructive attacks.
Barcelona took the lead in the 21st minute after goalkeeper Pena spilt a simple cross from City’s new boy Sergio Gomez.
On 26 minutes, Barcelona nearly put themselves in trouble again when Jules Kounde gave the ball away to Palmer, but after some fine footwork, the City attacker fired over.
Two minutes later, Barcelona found their equaliser.
Raphinha lifted a free-kick into the box, and after Sergio Busquests won the first header, Aubameyang fired home from a tight angle.
Goalkeeper Stefan Ortega should have covered his left side better.
City returned fire through Bernardo Silva, who forced Pena into a fine save after 31 minutes.
Five minutes later, Frenkie de Jong and Busquets combined to win the ball off Rico Lewis. Aubameyang linked Raphinha, but Kyle Walker recovered brilliantly to deny the Brazilian a clean shot.
Frenzied second half sees both City and Barcelona score two goals to share the spoils
Xavi changed Ferran Torres for Ansu Fati at half-time. Gomez, Walker and Lewis were replaced by Joao Cancelo, John Stones and Joshua Wilson-Esbrand.
The first chance of the second half fell to Julian Alvarez, and he got two bites at it, but Pena denied him. Riyad Mahrez also curled wide when the Argentine striker tried to set him up.
The tempo of the game dropped significantly, but the crowd at the Spotify Camp Nou erupted when Erling Braut Haaland was warming up.
Xavi made more changes. Alejandro Balde, Memphis Depay and Gavi replaced Aubameyang, Kessie and Jordi Alba. The changes further reduced the pace of the game.
City came close to taking the lead after 65 minutes when substitute Ilkay Gundogan set up Palmer, but Pena denied him.
A minute later, Barcelona took the lead against the run of play.
Substitute Kevin De Bruyne made an errant pass deep in his half, and de Jong reacted quickest to poke home.
City replied immediately. Cancelo put a cross on a plate for Palmer to turn home.
Ortega got down well to deny Memphis Depay minutes later following a disguised pass from Gavi. However, there was nothing he could do in the 79th minute when Depay finished a Sergi Roberto cross from close range.
A clash of heads between Luke Mbete and Andreas Christensen caused a long break. The City player had to be stretchered off.
As action restarted, the Dane unknowingly brought down Haaland in stoppage time. Mahrez dispatched the penalty to earn a last-minute draw for City. It was the last notable action of the game as it finished 3-3.
Barcelona and Manchester City set to continue their domestic campaigns this weekend
Barcelona will welcome Real Valladolid to the Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday. Barca will hope to add three points to the four they have gained in their first two games.
Manchester City will take on Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League.
