It may have been a friendly on paper but the Spanish club played with their usual ferocity and aggression, pushing the boundaries of acceptability within the rules of the game that kept the referee busy with fouls and yellow cards.
It wasn’t quite the scenes from the Champions League quarter-final a few years ago when Grealish was in the middle of an almighty scrap, but there was enough of an edge.
Grealish still attracts challenges and fouls like no other Blue when he has the ball in possession, and still enjoys a scrap more than most, yet plenty more has changed in the time since the last meeting.
Denne historien er fra July 31, 2023-utgaven av Manchester Evening News.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July 31, 2023-utgaven av Manchester Evening News.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
JOS LEARNS TO LIGHTEN LOAD
JOS Buttler admitted lightening his workload by giving up the wicketkeeping role has helped him to appreciate England's T20 series victory over the West Indies even more.
ON CLAUD NINE City's teen star on his humble journey to global headlines
CLAUDIO Echeverri is used to life in the limelight.
Starmer in call for 'respectful' ties with China
SIR Keir Starmer has said he told Xi Jinping he wanted \"respectful\" relations with Beijing as he became the first prime minister to meet the Chinese president since 2018.
Farmers to protest over inheritance tax
LARGE demonstrations by farmers were expected in London today as they fight to reverse \"absolutely unacceptable\" changes to inheritance tax.
Man jailed for arson threat on mosques
A FATHER-OF-FOUR who made a TikTok video threatening to burn down every mosque in Newcastle has been jailed for 20 months.
STABBING VICTIM IS FOUND 'COVERED IN BLOOD'
A MAN was seen 'bleeding on the floor' after he was stabbed in a horror attack on a street.
Mexican drinks and pool right on cue at new bar
A RESTAURANT recently nominated as one of the city's best has unveiled a first look at its new sister bar set to open next month - which will focus on tequila and pool.
Can Eibn project solve homes crisis?
PLANS TO BUILD 3,300 'HIGH QUALITY' HOMES AND A 'VIBRANT NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD' HAS BEEN GREETED WITH CYNICISM
Crumbling hospital unit gets mayor redevelopment
A HOSPITAL building where crumbling concrete was discovered is set to undergo a major redevelopment.
More comedy dates from special Kay
COMEDY fans are in for a treat after Peter Kay announced a new run of tour dates in a surprise announcement on Sunday night.