The second half kicked off at the Etihad Stadium with Manchester City leading Barcelona 2-1, the air still buzzing from that late first-half twist. The floodlights glared down, the pitch scuffed and damp from the earlier drizzle. City's fans clapped their team back out, but the noise carried an edge of nerves—Barcelona's goal had rattled them. Across the stands, the traveling Barcelona supporters chanted louder, sensing blood in the water.
Tariq Mensah stood over the ball at the center circle, Felipe Navarro beside him. The referee blew his whistle, and Mensah tapped it back to Navarro, who turned and passed it to Jacob Fletcher. City started cautious, knocking it around the back. Lucas Moretti took it from Fletcher and rolled it across to Elliot Graves, the center backs keeping possession while Barcelona's forwards pressed high. Lars Dietrich led the charge, sprinting at Moretti, while Marco Estrella and Rafael Montenegro fanned out to cut off the wings.