Manu Fernandez/Associated Press Lionel Messi returned from injury to inspire Barcelona to a 6-1 win over AS Roma in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday at the Camp Nou. In the process, Barca qualified for the knockout phase with one game to spare. survive season ‘s winners were rampant. Messi and Co. tore the Serie A outfit apart. Luis Suarez opened the score before Messi got in on the act after closely two months out.
Another finish each for Suarez and Messi, along with strikes from centre-back Gerard Pique and Adriano wrapped up the rout. Edin Dzeko grabbed a late one for the visitors in blockage fourth dimension. The argentinian victor ‘s return was the focal distributor point of the team news. Messi joined Suarez and Neymar Jr. to reunite Barca ‘s deadly, three-pronged forward line that dominated this tournament last season. The contest ‘s official Twitter feed detailed the holder ‘s full eleven :
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Roma countered with on-loan Arsenal plug Wojciech Szczesny between the sticks and ex-Manchester City target valet Dzeko up front. here ‘s the wax team that besides included classy midfield playmaker Miralem Pjanic : predictably, Barca started brightest. Messi had a finish ruled out for offside after Suarez was penalised during the buildup. Barca ‘s charming No. 10 then wasted a predict one-on-one by placing his side-foot eat up merely past Szczesny ‘s post. The hosts were punishing Roma director Rudi Garcia ‘s hazardous high-line tactics. so far for all the space they were conceding, the italian clubhouse should have gone in front. Dzeko, often a menace in the air, wasted a terrific header from a corner. He ‘d easily gotten the startle on erstwhile Arsenal man Thomas Vermaelen but could n’t head the ball down. Suarez soon made Dzeko curse his contrary radar. The goal continued the mercurial Uruguayan ‘s terrific move in this class ‘s tournament : BT Sport pundit Steven Gerrard, a former teammate of Suarez at Liverpool, lauded the hitter ‘s progress since moving to the Camp Nou, per BT Sport Football Twitter : But Messi has constantly been a cut above even a football brilliance like Suarez. He put the finish refer on a streamlined move that incorporated all 10 outfield players. here ‘s the highlight of Messi ‘s scoring refund, courtesy of BT Sport :
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Suarez treated the crowd to a moment of glare good before the break. He caught a volley wonderfully after a clamber from a corner. No more words needed—just determine : Pique added a one-fourth shortly into the second half. Barca director Luis Enrique then took the chance to introduce some talented youngsters. He brought on Sergi Samper and Marc Bartra. Messi got his second when Neymar curled a ball in after an clever equal out across-the-board. Suarez fluffed his lines but found Messi on hand to pounce. Another curler—this one a shot that sailed wide—denied Neymar the goal his extravagant display of flare deserved. not even a punishment could get the ex-Santos man on the sheet. His spot-kick was saved, but mate brazilian Adriano thundered in the rebound. Dzeko ‘s nightmare night continued when he was denied from the spot, meaning Roma missed out on the slightest of consolations. The bosnian finally got his consolation with the game ‘s final kick .
Post-Match Reaction
intelligibly, Messi was relieved to last experience his beginning competitive action in a long while : His strike spouse, Suarez, hailed the timbre of the performance, according to the club ‘s official Twitter history : By contrast, Enrique stressed the necessity to keep pushing for even better performances, per the clubhouse ‘s official locate : “ surely we can improve a set of things. In a sport adenine building complex as football, there ’ s constantly room for improvement. We ’ re at a adept here and now and we have to take utmost advantage. ” It ‘s an interesting take from Enrique, one that possibly explains Barca ‘s consistent success. When you produce six goals amid a bustle of breathtaking football but still demand more, you have an attitude that ‘s going to take a team of ultra-talented players far. That ‘s Enrique ‘s job in a nutshell. He has to make sure his contingent of first stars never start to believe things are coming excessively easily for them. Contrast Enrique ‘s words with those of his Roma counterpart. Garcia actually felt a 6-1 thump was the best his team could hope for on the night, according to Football Italia Twitter : interim, Szczesny thought Barca had it excessively easy :
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honestly, Garcia has turned underachievement into a peculiarity since moving to the italian capital. His words do n’t do him, nor his club, credit. Enrique ‘s men have delivered an baleful warning about their credentials for repeating final season ‘s success. In Messi, Neymar and Suarez they boast three first match-winners, all in prompt form. Add a typically confident possession game, and Barca remain the team to beat .