Barcelona leapfrogged injury-hit Manchester City to finish top of Group D in the Women’s Champions League with a comfortable 3-0 victory at the Olympic Stadium.
City, who have qualified for the quarter-finals in second, struggled without stars Khadija Shaw, Chloe Kelly, Alex Greenwood, Vivianne Miedema and Lauren Hemp, with Barcelona needing to win by two clear goals to finish above the visitors on goal difference.
The hosts recorded 30 shots, forcing City goalkeeper Khiara Keating into 14 saves, before finally beating her just before half-time when Claudia Pina clinically fired home from inside the box.
The closest City came to scoring was when Jill Roord’s long-range shot crashed back off the crossbar.
Barca netted the second just before the hour mark when Aitana Bonmati burst clear of the City defence and finished through the legs of Keating.
Alexia Putellas soon wrapped up the victory just minutes after coming on off the bench, firing past the unsighted Keating from the edge of the box.
Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas fires in the third
Both sides finished on 15 points but Barcelona snatched top spot thanks to their superior goal difference meaning City are now in the second knockout pool and could face a tougher draw.
