Spanish La Liga side Barcelona punished perennial Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals, with Luis Enrique’s men winning 3-0 at the Camp Nou. Lionel Messi was the difference maker for the hosts, with the Argentine wizard grabbing a brace, before setting up the decisive third goal which effectively seals the tie beyond doubt even with a second leg to play.
Barcelona are currently on course to win the treble, with the Spanish La Liga title within their grasp, a Copa Del Rey final to come (against Athletic Bilbao), and a Champions League semi-final second leg clash to come (against Bayern Munich), yet the manner of their win against the Germans will have given them great satisfaction. It has been two years since the German giants thrashed Barcelona 7-0 on aggregate at this stage of the Champions League, so the impressive result masterminded by a magical Messi will have left coach Enrique as well as the Catalan club’s management and fans delighted.
And while it took Messi’s magic to make the difference, the truth was that the Catalans had the edge during the game from start til finish on home soil. They started fast out of the blocks against Pep Guardiola’s men, but were guilty of profligacy in front of goal. Luis Suarez and Dani Alves both missed first-half one-on-ones with Manuel Neuer, while others came close too. However, the second-half was a different story and Barca got the job done emphatically, with the manager full of praise for his players.
“Guardiola’s tactics were according to his style, his team and his philosophy. We played the same as we always do. Messi no longer surprises me. He has ambition and hunger, but I would not say Messi is the only piece of art at Barca. The work of the whole team was incredible on top of the fact we didn’t concede any goals,” he said.
“We are a little closer to the final now. It was the perfect result that takes us a little closer to Berlin, but we still have a second leg to navigate. I am enormously pleased with everything my players did. We defeated a team of huge ability. Their players barely had a sniff at goal and that’s just as pleasing. It was simply a brilliant result.”
Barcelona could not have asked for a better outcome from Wednesday night’s fixture, and supporters will be talking up their prospects of going all the way in the Champions League this season, which would mark their first European triumph in four years.
