Layzell reflects on memorable Barcelona triumph | OneFootball

Naomi Layzell has described City’s 2-0 Champions League triumph over Barcelona in October as the ‘biggest’ night in her promising career so far.

But the defender admitted she has mixed emotions when reflecting on the success having been kept on the sidelines since after suffering an injury during the memorable victory.

Having qualified for the prestigious competition proper following an 8-0 aggregate success over Paris FC – Gareth Taylor’s side were drawn into Group D with the Spanish giants, Hammarby and St Polten.

We were then handed a tantalising opening assignment when welcoming the reigning European champions to the Joie Stadium.

Then, in front of a record crowd at the arena, goals from Layzell and Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw either side of half-time secured a famous win with the England youth international providing the assist for the Jamaican’s strike.

View on Instagram

Although the defender was forced off in second-half injury time, she says her overriding memories are positive from the evening.

“Some mixed emotions, mainly happy,” Layzell said.

“It was an amazing game and the atmosphere in itself and the football played by both teams was at a high level.

“For us to come away with a clean sheet as a defender and winning 2-0 against one of the most successful teams in Europe and in their own domestic league – it was a really great night.

“It was an important game, all games are, but it was probably the biggest game I played in my career so far.

“Then, unfortunately, it had to end with myself picking up a bit of an injury but I’ll only take the positives from the game and look forward.”

Layzell’s outing against Barcelona represented her fourth appearance since her summer switch from Bristol City and only her third start for the Blues.

WATCH: Highlights: City 2-0 Barcelona

She revealed the squad found out who was in the XI the day before the match and that she was quick to tell her family the news while feeling a combination of surprised, nervous and proud.

Layzell added: “We found the team out the day before, just before training. I went into the meeting thinking it would be amazing to watch this game and then the team went up and I thought ‘oh, that’s my name!’.

“I was nervous at first and a bit shocked, but Gaz [Taylor] showed me he trusted me and knew what my role was going to be for the game. I was just getting prepared and it was more excitement and anticipation.”

“Straight after the meeting I text my family saying ‘you’ll never guess what’. My brother and sister came up for the game, but my parents were both working late so they weren’t able to watch so they were a bit gutted.

“It was really positive otherwise.”

After City started brightly against Pere Romeu’s side – Layzell lit the sky blue touch paper when reacting quickly inside the box to prod Vivianne Miedema’s knock-down into the net following a corner on 36 minutes.

Not only did it signal her first goal in European competition, but her maiden in senior football.

But due to crowd of bodies and melee inside the area – Layzell explained she didn’t initially realise she’d broken the deadlock at the Joie Stadium.

“To be honest, when it happened, I didn’t know the ball had gone into the net!,” she admitted.

“The day before we had spoken about set plays and really being alive and focused on the drop downs in the box as they were going to be important.

“I think Viv [Miedema] did really well to nod it back across and you’ve just got to be alive and attack these balls. I just saw it, got the connection and directed it towards the goal.

“At first it was confusion then when everyone was on top of me, I was just like ‘no way’. Because at that point we had a few clear-cut chances already and we maybe deserved a goal.

“Then when it went in I questioned ‘did I just score?’. I’d never scored before, and it was more of a feeling of elation. It was really exciting.”