Barcelona made clear they are still hungry for Champions League glory after extinguishing Paris Saint-Germain in style at Parc des Princes on Wednesday (1-3).
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What the Blaugranas have lost in midfield domination over the past year, they have made up for in attacking efficiency as the one-sided scoreline eventually testified.
The first few minutes testify not so much of PSG’s intent as of Barcelona’s abilities. The home side are short of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Marco Verratti and Thiago Motta while David Luiz and Lucas Moura, still in a recovery phase, are named on the substitutes bench.
Both sides fight for possession, building slowly from the back, but the absence of Verratti and Thiago Motta shows against the quality of the Blaugrana midfield. Luis Enrique’s players stamp their authority on the game early on with fluid passing.
After just six minutes and four seconds every Barcelona outfield player stands in the PSG half, a situation which will be common throughout the first half.
34.2 – Paris Saint-Germain had only 34.2 percent possession vs Barcelona, their lowest in a home game (all comps) this season. Dominated.
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) April 15, 2015
Javier Pastore, named the best player in the world on Tuesday and his side’s most technical player, resorts to perillous back heels. Adrien Rabiot and Yohan Cabaye, usually substitutes, to reckless back passes.
Despite both sides’ utmost precautions there are enough genius individualities on the pitch for dangerous situations to burst out of nowhere. Javier Pastore on one end, Neymar on the other threaten their opponent’s penalty box.
It is however Lionel Messi who unsurprizingly grabs the game by the scruff of the neck. After 14 minutes, in what seemed an innocuous period of sterile possession for the Blaugranas, he fires a shot which Sirigu can only watch hitting his upright.
PSG’s difficulties to get the ball as far as the half-way line do not go unnoticed on the PSG bench. David Luiz, still carrying a thigh injury sustained in Marseille, is seen warming up along the sidelines after a quarter of an hour.
He briefly pauses to see his countryman Neymar latch onto a perfectly-weighted Messi pass and calmly score his fourth goal in the competition.
Misfortunes never coming singly, it turns out Laurent Blanc had a more pressing matter to solve than PSG’s midfield problems. He brings David Luiz on after 20 minutes to replace Thiago Silva.
The Brazilian with a thigh niggle shows characteristic resolve in central defence but does not have the same control over proceedings as the Brazilian centre-back with a thigh injury.
The game fades into monotonous Barcelona domination mode and even Marc-Andre ter Stegen can afford to emulate Manuel Neuer in venturing near the half-way line.
The Parisian players are undeterred. With a quick turn on the left wing, Ezequiel Lavezzi provokes a dangerous situation but Edinson Cavani, found in acres of space on the edge of the area, fumbles and loses the ball.
Barcelona loosen their grip after the half-hour mark and Gerard Pique is booked after a quick combination between Maxwell and Matuidi.
The game gains in end-to-end traction, both sets of players operating in larger areas than at the start of the game. Cabaye too is booked for reducing the space between him and Iniesta in a much too aggressive fashion.
With nearly 70% possession, Barcelona return to the changing rooms feeling like they are at Camp Nou.
.@LuisSuarez9: MotM vs PSG, Rating 9.41, Goals 2, Shots 3, Dribbles 4, Key Passes 1 @FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/biAAN6k9Pz
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) April 15, 2015
The second half starts on a different rhythm, with PSG staunchly refusing Barcelona’s domination. The sight of Lucas Moura warming up gives hope to fans singing his name in the stands, and team-mates daring to cross the half-way line and put ter Stegen to the test.
Pastore and Rabiot both tickle the German goalkeeper and the Blaugranas lose a little consistency. A stray pass from Sergio Busquets brings loud cheers from the PSG supporters, aware that the Barcelona of the first half has temporarily disappeared.
Iniesta vanishes for good after a back injury but any sense of relief is quelled by the sight of Xavi Hernandez coming off the bench to replace him.
The Catalan veteran brings much-needed balance to his side and PSG are left hoping for a providential man. Lucas Moura finally comes in to rapturous applause, hoping to disrupt Barcelona’s mechanics.
The overwhelming feeling however is that the visitors have a system which is working while the depleted home side constantly await an individual saviour.
Shortly after the hour mark, Suarez waltzes past the Parisian defence and silences the Parc des Princes with a brilliant solo effort.
With the energy of despair, PSG react through Cavani, whose shot following a corner is parried by Marc Andre ter Stegen who makes his first save of the match. The Uruguayan struggled all evening but he suffered more from poor service than profligacy in front of goal.
His countryman Luis Suarez is in a rather opposite situation and adds a second goal to his tally 15 minutes from regular time. The harsh scoreline is a reflection of the former Liverpool striker having added a cutting edge to the Blaugranas, sharper in the final third this season despite losing a little of their almighty brilliance in the middle of the park.
Once more PSG refuse to give up, and this time they are rewarded with an unlikely goal from right-back Gregory Van der Wiel, who perhaps had the most to expiate after suffering a torrid evening opposite Neymar and Luis Suarez.
With a 1-3 away victory, the Blaugranas have nine fingers on another semi-final appearance.
MAN OF THE MATCH: LUIS SUAREZ
