An eventful game for Luis Suarez against former employers Liverpool helped Barcelona on their way to a commanding 3-0 first-leg advantage in the Champions League’s semi-finals.
Suarez, 32, began the scoring at Camp Nou with a smart flick past Alisson on 26 minutes. The La Liga champions were then pressed back for long spells, but a late brace from Argentina icon Lionel Messi – the first assisted by his Uruguayan partner’s unconventional volley onto the crossbar – took the game away from them.
STATISTICS
Goals: 1
Attempts: 4
On target: 1
Key passes: 1
Touches: 37
Pass accuracy: 72.7 per cent
Dribbles: 4
Offsides: 1
30-SECOND REPORT
A scoreline that flattered Barca, but one they’ll cherish during next week’s inevitable bombardment at Anfield.
Suarez’s bright run was picked out by Spain left-back Jordi Alba’s instant cross and he punished static PFA Players’ Player of the Year Virgil van Dijk with a close-range finish.
A final flurry would then be key. Messi was alert to walk the ball home after Suarez’s knee picked out the woodwork, before a delicious 30-yard free-kick moved him onto 600 career goals in fitting fashion.
4 - Liverpool have now lost more matches in the Champions League this season (4 in 11 matches) than in all other competitions combined (3 in 38 matches). Stage. #FCBLIV pic.twitter.com/xrRwLNIwNz
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 1, 2019
GOT RIGHT
ENDING THE DROUGHT: A notable barren spell is, finally, at an end for one of this generation’s great predators.
392 days – and a humiliating ‘Romantada’ – had passed since Suarez last netted in the UCL. The unbridled Uruguay international has never appeared unduly perturbed by this drought, yet he’ll surely appreciate its end.
That his night’s haul was almost doubled showed a striker coming to life.
GOT WRONG
NO PUNISHING PACE: Suarez was a force of nature during three years on Merseyside that contained one trophy, 82 goals in 133 appearances, a number of controversies and memories that will last a lifetime.
We are now, however, talking about a different beast. The extra yards are in his head, rather than in his legs after a noticeable drop in acceleration.
This makes substitute Ousmane Dembele’s searing pace such an asset.
3 - Liverpool suffered their joint-heaviest Champions League defeat, also losing 0-3 to Real Madrid in October 2014. Stunned. #FCBLIV pic.twitter.com/t0bKJABie3
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 1, 2019
KEY MOMENTS
26th min GOAL: A wonderful goal. Alba looks up and sees Suarez’s expert movement gain him a yard on the retreating Van Dijk. An ingenious, angled cross is then met with an intuitive poke past Brazil No1 Alisson from close range.
29th min CHANCE: Suarez fires a dangerous low centre across the Liverpool penalty box, but returning England defender Joe Gomez clears.
68th min CHANCE: Messi lobs a ball over the top of the Liverpool defence. A combination of a loose first touch and declining speed allows Cameroon centre-back Joel Matip to snub out the danger.
75th min ASSIST: Out of nowhere, Barca punish Liverpool. Messi is, critically, afforded space outside the penalty box. He bursts past Fabinho, plays it to Spain right-back Sergi Roberto and his flick is met by Suarez’s knee. The ball cannons off the crossbar and Messi walks it in.
VERDICT
Liverpool’s containment job for large spells of this match was partly contributed to by Barca’s inability to race in behind.
This meant they could clog up the middle for Messi. And yet, their former idol Suarez delivered in two key plays.
Quality remains when physicality declines. The ex-Ajax attacker is a walking exhibit of this principle.
Rating: 7/10
