Barcelona have a firm grasp on their Champions League semifinal with Bayern Munich after registering a 3-0 victory in Wednesday night’s first leg at the Camp Nou in Barcelona.
A pair of goals in three minutes from Lionel Messi, the second a goal that will be shown repeatedly on highlight shows around the world, and a last-minute strike from Neymar gave the Catalonians the victory against former manager Pep Guardiola, who was making his return to the Camp Nou since his departure in 2012.
Barcelona manager Luis Enrique rolled out his strongest starting XI, with the scorching hot trio of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez up top in attack. In midfield it was Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic, while in defense goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen was protected by a back four of Dani Alves, Gerard Piqué, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba.
The two teams came out with the full intent of pressuring their opponent, especially when in the opposite half leading to a breathtaking back-and-forth display of football in the opening 10 minutes of the match.
The first chance fell to Barcelona in the 12th minute, and it was served up to Suárez on a silver platter when the Uruguayan beat the offside trap and was all alone with Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, but the Ballon d’Or finalist showed why he is considered by many to be the world’s best stopper and the World Cup-winner blocked Suárez’s shot with his right leg to keep it 0-0. Three minutes later it was Neymar who was denied when his shot off a Suárez cross was also deflected to safety by Rafinha.
It was around this point that Guardiola elected to move to a four-man defense after starting with three men on his back line. The change helped restore order to the Bayern defense and gave the Germans a better hold on the match. In the 18th minute it was then Bayern’s turn to spoil a scoring chance when the Barcelona defense failed to track back on Robert Lewandowski, but the Polish striker was unable to get a shot off after Thomas Müller had done well to find the former Borussia Dortmund man.
Opportunity knocked again for Suárez on 26 minutes, this time off a corner kick, but his header flew just over Neuer’s crossbar. Neuer came to Bayern’s rescue yet again in the 39th minute to deny Alves from close-range after some good build-up work from the home side. Like the earlier stop on Suarez, the German No.1 used his right leg to kick-save the ball to safety.
Bayern were an improved side to start the second half and pressured Luis Enrique’s team in their own half, making it difficult for the Barcelona midfield to connect with their weapons up front. But by the hour mark Barcelona had the momentum back in their favor, yet that final, decisive pass still eluded Messi & Co.
If the first half was a lesson in how a goalkeeper should use his feet, then school was back in session in the 61st minute when the Bayern “sweeper-keeper” perfectly timed coming off his line to clear a ball that an onside Neymar was about to run on to. Perhaps it was the prowess of Neuer in net, but up to that point there was a hesitance from Barcelona to shoot, namely a moment in the 64th minute when Rakitic had the room to fire a shot on goal, but elected to play off to Neymar whose effort was well off-target.
That restraint to shoot from outside fell completely by the wayside though in the 77th minute when Messi collected a pass from Alves and launched an absolute bullet that beat Neuer low and to the goalkeeper’s left to send the Camp Nou into raptures. Alves had done exceptionally well to retrieve the ball and shift past a Bayern defender before touching the ball over to the Argentine, and from there it was all Messi to score and make it a 1-0 game.
The goal lifted Barcelona and soon the hosts were on the hunt for a second and in short order it came in the 80th minute with one of the best goals Messi will have ever scored in his career. Rakitic fed him on the right and from there Messi took over, making a move that sent Jerome Boateng tumbling on his backside before lofting the most delicate of chips over the onrushing Neuer, who could only turn and watch helplessly as the ball floated into the net to give Barcelona a 2-0 lead.
Bayern, in search of a crucial away goal, were nearly opened up again by Barcelona in the 83rd minute, but Suárez’s effort flew wide and high. With just a minute remaining, Bayern pressured the Barcelona half, but the strategy backfired horribly for the guests, as Barcelona broke on a counterattack which ended with Neymar one-on-one with Neuer, but this time there would be no miracle save from the netminder, as Neymar calmly slotted home to give Barcelona a commanding 3-0 lead in the match and the series.
Prior to next Tuesday’s return leg, Barcelona will return to La Liga action on Saturday when they host Real Sociedad.
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