WATCH: Barcelona, Manchester City in thrilling 3-3 draw in mid-week ALS charity match

Barcelona and Manchester City drew 3-3 in a friendly to raise money and awareness for the fight against ALS on Wednesday (August 24). More than 91,000 fans were at the Camp Nou for the match, with the proceeds going to help raise funds for research against ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, an incurable neurodegenerative disorder.

The honorary kickoff was taken by Juan Carlos Unzué, the former Barcelona goalkeeper and goalkeeping coach who has the disease and helped promote the friendly. “We want to continue living and enjoying life,” he said before the match.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay scored for the hosts. Man City got goals from Julián Álvarez, Cole Palmer and Riyad Mahrez deep into stoppage time.

Man City defender Luke Mbete had to be substituted late in the game after a clash of heads with Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen. Mbete had to be immobilized and carried out on a stretcher.

WATCH highlights from Barcelona’s charity match against Manchester City here…

Barca 3-3 Manchester City
The fight against ALS won tonight pic.twitter.com/9bv34O4Kjl

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 25, 2022

Erling Haaland won a penalty deep in stoppage time, which Mahrez converted. The charity game had originally been scheduled for last summer but was postponed because of COVID-19 restrictions on attendances.

It had been organised to raise funds for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) awareness, in honour of former Barcelona player and coach Juan Carlos Unzue, who was diagnosed with the condition just over two years ago.

Guardiola, whose side host Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday, named a strong side for the game that included summer signing Kalvin Phillips, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva, who is reportedly the subject of interest from Barcelona.

Depay’s late strike had looked to have won the match, which was played in front of 91,062 spectators, but Mahrez equalised from the spot in the 10th minute of 11 minutes that had been added on following an injury to City’s Luke Mbete.