Gareth Taylor: Champions League win over Barcelona a big step for Man City

Gareth Taylor said Manchester City had taken a “big step” forward but were not getting carried away after they produced a statement win on their Champions League return by beating holders Barcelona 2-0 at the Joie Stadium.

City’s Group D opener saw them making their comeback having not played in the competition proper since a 2020-21 quarter-final second leg against Barca at the same venue, which they won 2-1, but lost the tie 4-2 on aggregate.

The Catalan side claimed the trophy that season and have featured in each of the three finals since, winning the last two.

City boss Taylor, in charge since May 2020, said Wednesday’s game ranked “right up there” in terms of results and displays from his tenure.

When asked what defeating the champions of the past two editions showed about City’s credentials in the competition this season, Taylor said: “I think we’ve taken a step forward tonight, I think it’s a big step for us.

“We’re super honoured to be in the competition, and enjoying the journey, but we feel we just need to do ourselves justice. There’s a lot of very good teams in this competition…and Barcelona, why they are the best, is because they bounce back from these moments straight away.

“It’s good for us, a nice moment for us, but we’re not getting carried away at all. We’ve spent three seasons out of this competition, we know how tough it is to make it, and now all we want to do is create the next objective, which is to make the quarter-finals.”

Naomi Layzell, the 20-year-old defender signed from Bristol City in the summer, put the hosts in front with a 36th-minute finish, the first goal of her career.

Layzell then added an assist to her memorable evening when she set up Khadija Shaw’s strike with 13 minutes of normal time to go, before sustaining an injury late on.

On Layzell, who has trained with the senior England squad, Taylor said: “It was a weird action. My first instinct was I hope that’s not an Achilles, but she seems to be kind of OK, presenting more like a rolled ankle, but hasn’t actually rolled it. At the moment our physios are fairly positive.

“But second Champions League game (having played in the qualifying round), scoring and assisting against Barcelona, playing out of position – unbelievable.

“It is special. If you get to know Naomi, you’d probably say it doesn’t surprise you. She takes on information very well.

“She’s playing in her not favoured position at right-back – her profile is a centre-back for sure. To go in and play the way she has done, in the Women’s Super League but also the Champions League qualifiers and tonight, she’ll be on cloud nine and hopefully her injury is not too bad.”

While an eventful first half saw both sides hit the post early on – Caroline Graham Hansen for Barca and Lauren Hemp for City – it was the hosts who were on top for the most part.

The visitors improved as they pushed for an equaliser after the break but were unable to find one before Shaw notched the second as it proved a disappointing evening for the likes of former City midfielder Keira Walsh and Ballon d’Or winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas.

Barca boss Pere Romeu said: “It was definitely one half to each team. When we were playing at our best was when we conceded (the second).

“I think if you look at ways we could better our performance today, we need to be more determined in our press and also more clinical with our finishing.”