Barcelona thumps Celta Vigo 5-0, keeps La Liga lead

 

Barcelona 5-0 Celta Vigo: Lionel Messi scores brace as Luis Enrique's side romp to victory and leapfrog Real Madrid to the top of La Liga

Lionel Messi scored the first goal on 24 minutes and then mimicked making a telephone call as part of his goal celebration – perhaps he was calling UEFA. Last week the game's European governing body gave Barca a 0% chance of progressing to the Champions League quarter-finals. It's true that no-one has ever overturned a 4-0 first leg defecit and Barcelona have a mountain to climb against Paris Saint-Germain, but they have Messi and with Messi anything is possible. The supporters certainly think so, they were singing: 'Yes we can' by the time the fifth goal went in. This 5-0 win was special from Messi and special from Barcelona who have now scored 11 goals in four days and sit back on top of the Spanish first division albeit having played a game more than Real Madrid.

The rout could easily have started earlier when both Suarez and Messi hit the post in the space of seconds on 18 minutes.

Suarez surged past Gustavo Cabral and hit the foot of the right upright. And from a more difficult angle as the ball came back out to him, Messi hit the same spot on the same post.

Barcelona should then have had a penalty three minutes later when Neymar was chopped down by Hugo Mallo. The spot-kick wasn't given but it didn't matter because Messi was about to conjure the first goal.

He picked the ball up midway inside Celta's half. Not content with starting his run from there he carried the ball back the edge of the centre-circle then turned and went for the Celta juglular wriggling through the centre of their defence. With Cabral and Sergi Gomez left flailing, he curled a shot inside Sergio Alvarez' far post.

It was his 37th goal of the season in just 37 games but it was only the beginning.

It should have been two when Rafinha cut in from the right but he failed to beat Alvarez. When he looked up he had Messi, Neymar and Suarez all staring him down having been in space for a pass – an image he might take some time to wipe from his memory.

The second goal was not long in coming. And it was every bit as special as the first. Messi fed Rakitic and he returned the pass. Messi then played an angled pass into Neymar's path and the Brazilian applied the most delicate of touches to chip it over the head of Alvarez and send it curling with one bounce over the line. 

No one does artistic impression better than Neymar and he was at it again 13 minutes into the second half when he set up Rakitic for the third.

The Brazilian crossed from the left, Rafinha got a touch in the area and Rakitic sent a low drive through the goalkeeper's legs.

Umtiti was the next on the scoresheet poking the ball home from inside the six-yard box from a Messi cross. It was his first goal for the club and his Barcelona team-mates queued up to congratulate him – of the raft of summer signings he is the one who has made a first team place his own.

Messi got his second with Barcelona's next attack. He carried the ball down the right, cut inside, and despite the best efforts of Facundo Roncaglia and Cabral drilled his shot through the legs of the latter and past Alvarez.

With 20 minutes left Iniesta came on – as if Celta hadn't suffered enough - but the captain did not exert himself. The three points were won and all attention now turns to Wednesday. 

Messi and company are in the mood to either go through with a miraculous comeback, or at least go out of the Champions League making everyone wish they were not.

Luis Enrique is leaving Barcelona

After Barcelona’s convincing 6-1 win against Sporting Gijón on Wednesday, Luis Enrique put an end to months of speculation and announced he will step down as Barça boss in the summer. 

He told the press that he “won’t be Barcelona coach next season” and “needs to rest”. Enrique has been under enormous criticism all season for the Blaugrana's poor performances, and after two very successful campaigns, he hopes to end his third season on a high note. Club President Josep Bartomeu said on Enrique’s departure: "We accept Luis Enrique's decision. He has been a great a coach. Now is it time to end his spell in the best possible way". 

The search for a new manager will start. Ronald Koeman (Everton), Jorge Sampaoli (Sevilla) and Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham Hotspur) have been the names speculated the most over the last few weeks. The board is expected to announce the new manager in the near future.

The 46-year-old coach's decision to make the announcement now, is being seen as an attempt to galvanise his players for what remains of this campaign.

He said: 'I will finish this press conference in a different way; I want to announce I will not be continuing as Barcelona coach.

'I want to thank the club for all the faith they have shown in me. These have been three unforgettable years.

'You don't get a lot of rest in this job and I need to rest. 'Hopefully we have three very exciting months left and if the stars align we can come back in the Champions League, and if not we still have the league and the cup.'

The search will now begin for his successor and Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde and Sevilla coach Jorge Sampaoli are the favourites with Lionel Messi understood to favour the latter.

But Everton's Koeman and Dortmund's Thomas Tuchel are among those coaches that the Barca board will consider, with Koeman having impressed at Everton this season.  

Enrique took over in 2014 and looked on his way out at the halfway point of that first season, having got on the wrong side of Messi.

But he turned things around and ended up winning the treble. He finished the second season having won as many trophies in his first two campaigns as Pep Guardiola.

Like his friend and predecessor in the hotseat he has decided he needs a break from one of the most demanding jobs in football. There were whistles when his name was song by some supporters following Barcelona's disastrous 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in Paris.

On Wednesday, supporters seemed to have turned because when his name was sung by the Camp Nou's singing section there was no adverse reaction. 

Those supporters now know they will have a new coach next season.

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Barcelona dominates Sporting Gijon 6-1, grabs La Liga lead

 Barcelona 6-1 Sporting Gijon: Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar all score as Barca go top of La Liga with impressive victory

First came the six goals from his team and then bang - Luis Enrique hit the back of the net himself dropping the bombshell that he is leaving the club at the end of the season.

Few expected the 46-year-old coach to renew his contract that runs out this summer, especially after that 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain two weeks ago.

Yet he still stunned a crowded press room at the Nou Camp, finishing his press conference following his team's 6-1 win by saying he had one more thing to say – he was off.

The decision to make the early announcement is being seen as a move to galvanise his squad for the run-in and although he admitted to only having told his players after this win, they already look in the mood to send him off with a rousing finish to the campaign.

They thrashed struggling Sporting and only needed a 45-minute shift from Luis Suarez, and an hour from Lionel Messi to do so.

It was 3-1 and game over by half-time as they played some of their best football and the out-going coach's name was sung with no whistles from dissenting fans.

In a week's time Paris Saint-Germain will be in town and a 6-1 result will see Barcelona through. The French champions are unlikely to defend as Sporting did here but this was still a very positive performance – a riot of good football and great finishing.

The first goal was an all-Argentina production. There is a crossroads in the Northern Argentine City of Tucamen where the streets are named after Messi and Javier Mascherano – the pair were definitely on the same GPS on nine minutes when Mascherano found himself in the right back position and dinked a pass over the top of Sporting's defence for Messi to finish.

The visitors were attempting to play offside but Barcelona's No 10 just jogged between the two centre backs and, barely needing to jump, nodded the ball over the advancing Sporting keeper Ivan Cuellar. It was his 21st league goal of the season and surely his easiest.

When the second goal went in it was Neymar's pass and Suarez springing Sporting's shocking excuse for an offside trap. The ball was diverted over the line by Juan Rodriguez and is likely to be credited to the defender but Suarez took the plaudits from his team-mates.

Sporting had not won here in 30 years and this was a terrible start but they were buoyed on 21 minutes when they pulled it back to 2-1. 

This time the through ball was from Burgui and when Sergio Alvarez's shot came back off a post Carlos Castro reacted more quickly than Umtiti to send it over the line.

The two-goal deficit was quickly restored. Sporting were defending like a team who are one off the bottom and had only won once away all season. Jean-Sylvian Babin headed the ball up instead of away and Suarez was unchallenged to thunder it past Cuellar on the volley.

Suarez did not reappear to torment Sporting further after the break. He will be needed at the weekend against Celta Vigo and then next week in the Champions League. Alcacer came on in his place. No one has played fewer minutes so far this season and no one needed a confidence-boosting goal more and it came for him in just four minutes.

Babin gift-wrapped another ball in the area, this time to Messi and he found Alcacer who scored his second goal of the season. 

The singing section behind the goal was now loudly sing Enrique's name and the rest of the stadium respectfully observed. When they tried that a week ago the chants were whistled down. Time heals even 4-0 defeats to PSG.

Such was the mood that Messi took an early cut, substituted on the hour with Barcelona in total control of the game.

So no Suarez and no Messi – what could possibly go wrong for Sporting now? Neymar curled a picture-book free-kick past Cuellar, leaving the keeper tangled up in his own net, and it was five. Ivan Rakitic smashed the sixth goal in as the clock ran down and Barcelona left the field as leaders.

We thought the show was over but the drama had only just begun. Within the next couple of hours the coach would quit and Real Madrid would draw with Gareth Bale sent off to leave Barcelona top of the table.

Messi saves Barcelona from Atletico Madrid 2-1

Barca Blaugranes

Barcelona and Atlético Madrid put together a fantastic football match that ended with a 2-1 victory for the Blaugrana in the last La Liga encounter between these two Spanish giants at the Vicente Calderón. Both teams attacked each other in a match filled with many exciting moments, and Lionel Messi scored a late winner to give the Catalans three gigantic points in the title race.

FIRST HALF

The first half hour of the initial period was fully controlled by the hosts, who pressured the ball high up the pitch, recovered it and forced Ter Stegen into a few big saves. The Blaugrana couldn't control possession in the midfield and were on the back foot for most of the half, creating some chances on the counter but not doing anything dangerous.

But as we approached the end of the half, the visitors took control of the ball, finally, and then began to scare the Colchoneros and Jan Oblak had to make two amazing stops to keep the score at zero.

At halftime, Atlético were the better side but couldn't score, and Barça showed good signs of what was to come in the final period.

SECOND HALF

Luis Suárez and Antoine Griezmann wasted chances they normally wouldn't in the first five minutes of the second half, and it was clear we'd have an action-packed period. The two teams continued to trade shots and fouls, and then the goals came.

First, a total mess in the box with players from both teams scrapping to find the ball eventually ended with Rafinha Alcântara scoring a really nice goal with his right foot. Atlético answered quickly when Diego Godín headed the ball in and tied the game with 20 minutes to go.

Both teams tried to go forward in search of the game-winner, and it was Barça that got it thanks to the world's greatest player: Lionel Messi was at the right place at the right time, and scored a clutch goal in the 86th minute. Three massive points for Barça, and Messi is Messi.

---

Atlético: Oblak; Vrasljko, Savic, Godín, Luis; Koke, Gabi, Saúl, Carrasco (Torres); Griezmann, Gameiro (Correa)

Goal: Godín (70')

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Piqué, Umtiti, Mathieu (Digne); Roberto (Gomes), Busquets, Iniesta (Rakitic); Messi; Rafinha, Suárez, Neymar

Goals: Rafinha (64'), Messi (86')

How Barcelona lost their identity

On Wednesday morning, as the Spanish press hammered Barcelona after the 4-0 debacle in Paris, Catalan newspaper Sport declared that ‘This is not Barça’. 

The headline could be interpreted in several ways. The heavy nature of the defeat was certainly uncharacteristic for such a merited side, but even more so was the nature of it: the way Barça had lost control of midfield, stuttered on the ball, cracked under pressure. They didn’t use to lose like this. 

A few days earlier, Lluis Mascaró had written in the same paper that “Barça are not what they were”. The conclusion was the same: the style based on 99% possession and trillions of passes had been watered down by Luis Enrique, while the reliance on individuals had grown. Gone was their intricate passing, their midfield dominance, their sense of identity. Barça, Mascaró wrote, had become “just another team”. 

His argument wasn't unfounded. In the first year under Luis Enrique, Barça tweaked their style so that the ball was moved faster to Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez. They became more direct, stronger at counter-attacks and more reliant on their forwards. But the system was also far simpler, and the midfield was practically bypassed. 

It worked well for 18 months, but now opponents have figured out that they can cut off the supply line to the forwards by pressing high. Barça no longer have a system in place which moves the ball through midfield; what was once their speciality has all but vanished, and it may well cost Luis Enrique his job.

Losing control

The contrasts are certainly stark to the passing machine Guardiola built from 2008 to 2012, and which was then maintained by Tito Vilanova. There was more control and the central midfielders had greater influence. As part of the 4-3-3, they dropped deep to get the ball, while the full-backs pushed up and the wingers moved inside to support lone striker Messi. The ultimate purpose was to set up Messi in the final third. “It’s my job to get you there, the rest is up to you,” Guardiola said.

Gomes became the scapegoat

http://www.marca.com/en/football/barcelona/2017/02/16/58a4c395268e3e2e168b4740.html

In the aftermath of a heavy 4-0 defeat, neither the players nor the coach could escape criticism for long, although Andre Gomes and his very signing is being singled out in particular. 

Once again, the Portuguese midfielder was chosen instead of Ivan Rakitic, far from justifying his 35 million signing. Luis Enrique has shown a lot of patience and has insisted with the ex-Valencia midfielder, but he and sporting director Robert Fernandez must be worried about him and the other signings. 

Samuel Umtiti has been one of the few to really compete for a starting role, as Lucas Digne, Paco Alcacer, Jasper Cillessen and Denis Suarez are still not fully integrated into the team. 

Supporters have voted on the performance of Barcelona's players on one of the most disappointing nights in their history in the Champions League. 

A double from Angel Di Maria and goals from Julian Draxler and Edinson Cavani have all-but ended the Blaugrana's hopes of progressing to the quarter-final stage. 

The man who received the most negative votes on MARCA.com for his part in the display was coach Luis Enrique, followed by midfielder Andre Gomes, who was completely overrun in the centre of the park. The Portuguese international was also voted as the worst player on the pitch in the separate MARCA English poll, with Sergi Roberto and Luis Suarez also slated. 

Back in the Spanish vote, Suarez and Lionel Messi followed Gomes, with only 1,900 giving the Uruguayan a positive vote and roughly 2,100 doing the same for the Blaugrana No. 10. 

Behind them came Sergio Busquets and Sergi Roberto, while only Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Neymar were given positive ratings for their part in the disaster by the majority of those who voted, both on MARCA and MARCA English - where Di Maria won the poll. 

It is clear that the public haven't held back in pointing the finger and nobody was safe from it.

Does Barcelona's heavy defeat at Paris Saint-Germain spell the end of an era?

Gabriele Marcotti 

On Tuesday night, following their 4-0 Parc des Princes hammering at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain, my colleague Michael Yokhin tweeted: "This is Barcelona's most important and resounding defeat since Milan in 1994." He was referring to the 1993-94 Champions League final, when Johan Cruyff's heavily favored "Dream Team" fell at the hands of Fabio Capello's depleted Milan side.

For those who don't remember, here's a bit of context.

Cruyff's Barca had won four straight La Liga titles and the 1991-92 Champions League. They captured the imagination with a star-studded lineup that included the likes of Ronald Koeman, Pep Guardiola, Hristo Stoichkov and Romario. But that game in Athens proved to be a turning point, perhaps achieving an out-sized importance because of the big stage. Marcel Desailly, a central defender deployed in midfield, disrupted Barca's schemes, starving the front men of their supply and physically dominating the likes of Guardiola and Jose Maria Bakero.

There was an obvious symbolism there. In the popular narrative where Cruyff had a creator in front of the back four, Capello had a destroyer. (It's a bit of a simplistic reading because his 4-4-2 also featured a classic deep playmaker like Demetrio Albertini, but then football's historic narratives often work best when they're dumbed down.)

After the game, Cruyff was no longer unassailable. Barcelona's next campaign was marked by simmering rows between Cruyff and club president Josep Nunez. Koeman, Stoichkov, Romario, Txiki Begiristain and Andoni Zubizarreta, five of the XI who had started against Milan, were all gone within 12 months. Cruyff stuck around another year, until the summer of 1996.

Obviously, his legacy lived on and in fact, it would manifest itself down the road in the changes he brought to the La Masia academy and the emergence of the Guardiola era. But there is little question that the 4-0 in Athens would prove to be a major turning point.

(At this stage, some may argue that another famous 4-0, the thumping at the hands of Jupp Heynckes' Bayern in the 2012-13 Champions League semifinal, was equally important. I don't think so. Barca were 13 points clear at the top of La Liga at the time. The defeat did not lead to a clear-out or a significant change in direction or a decline.)

So was Tuesday night some seminal turning point like the one in Athens 23 years ago? The arguments for a resounding "yes" are all there.

Atletico Madrid 0-1 Barcelona: Treble is on for Luis Enrique in his first season after Lionel Messi's brilliance clinches La Liga title

• Diego Simeone's side frustrated the visiting Catalans for long spells at the Vicente Calderon
• 
  
• Neymar and Lionel Messi were kept quiet as Barcelona knew they needed three points for the title
• 
  
• Diego Godin missed a superb chance with the score goalless just after half-time 
• 
  
• But Messi opened the scoring on 65 minutes as Barcelona won the 23rd La Liga title in their history

What a difference a year makes. Three-hundred and sixty-five days ago, Atletico Madrid won La Liga at the Nou Camp and now Barcelona have exacted revenge, winning the Spanish title – their 23rd – by beating the former champions in the Vicente Calderon.

When the goal came, it had to be Lionel Messi, for so many reasons. Because he is the star of this team. Because finding his best form in years has inspired Barcelona to reach two cup finals and win this trophy. Because Cristiano Ronaldo had just scored a few minutes earlier against Espanyol, to jeopardise Barcelona's title chances.

It was a beautiful strike, too. Messi fed the ball into Pedro, in the left-hand side of the area. Pedro knew his job was to cut it back to the Barcelona No 10, and did just that. One touch from Messi, rolling his left foot over the ball left Jose Gimenez lunging at thin air. Another micro-touch to the left, unbalanced Diego Godin and a third and final touch saw the ball nestling in the bottom right corner of Oblak's net. 

Luis Enrique is dreaming of the treble, a word he admitted in a press conference that he likes. He is dreaming of emulating Pep Guardiola's achievement in his first season at Barcelona, which would make the Catalans the only team to do it twice. This was a huge stride in the right direction, and now the coach can rest players in the final match of the league season, at home against Deportivo de la Coruna next weekend.

Last season these teams met six times and Barcelona failed to win on any occasion, only scoring three goals. There has been a sea change this term, with Luis Enrique's side racking up eight goals in four matches against the Rojiblancos.

Diego Simeone was sweating at Atletico's Ciudad Deportiva de Majadahonda training complex this week. Partly because of the intense heatwave that has swept across Spain, and partly because working out how to stop Messi, Neymar and Suarez is arguably the hardest task in football at the moment – though he was saved from having to deal with the latter, thanks to a hamstring strain.

Given that his side had the week off, Simeone forced his players to sit through numerous tactical briefings, using videos of their previous three defeats by Barcelona this season to highlight the changes they needed to make to their game-plan. They looked better defensively in this game than in their other three defeats by Barcelona this season, but as Pep Guardiola pointed out, Messi is unstoppable.

Barcelona knew that with three points, the league was theirs, but they began the game slowly, preferring to save energy and let Atletico toil. Toiling, however, is found in the Rojiblanco bloodstream and Simeone's men started to enjoy themselves. Clever work by Arda Turan on the left earned his side a corner, from which they nearly opened the scoring. In it came, from Koke, and Gimenez's flicked header towards the far corner was tipped away by Claudio Bravo, straining every sinew to reach the ball.

The Chilean was called into action again when Antoine Griezmann fired in a strike from the right, repelling the forward's effort superbly, not knowing the linesman's flag was raised.

Barcelona began to take the sting out of the game by getting the ball and keeping it to themselves, and created their first opportunity in the 11th minute. Neymar, to Andres Iniesta, to Messi, but his shot was kept out by Jan Oblak. This was the start of a long battle between the Slovene and the Argentine. Messi was denied again when his header from 12 yards was aimed too centrally to trouble the goalkeeper.

The Calderon, usually so loud, was quietened by a long period of Barcelona possession. For a moment the siren of a police car whizzing between the stadium and the Manzanarez River was audible, above the murmur of the fans. 

All the better for Barcelona, who continued to move up through the gears, growing in confidence and stature.

Messi fired narrowly over the bar from the edge of the box, before creating a chance for Pedro after a wonderful change of pace in midfield. He hovered like a dragonfly, near the edge of the centre-circle, before hurtling forward, away from two defenders and dangerously near to the area. His eventual through-ball was deflected and Pedro couldn't convert it, but Barcelona were now a distinct threat to the Atletico defence.

If Atletico were a sponge, absorbing Barcelona attacks, the Catalans were determined to wring the water out, and had two penalty shouts before half-time. The first saw Juanfran handle the ball while going in for a challenge with Messi, but he had little time to react. Barcelona were enraged that it hadn't been given, Atletico would have been angrier if it had. 

The other was an intriguing situation, where Dani Alves' shirt was pulled just outside the box, by Godin. The Brazilian defender went down theatrically, falling inside the area. 

Referee Undiano Mallenco awarded a free kick, but also booked Alves for diving, and then Godin for complaining vehemently into his face. Tensions rose, there was some pushing and shoving, and when Messi eventually took the free kick his effort beat Oblak but flicked off the top of the crossbar.

After Messi struck, Atletico were a little subdued, despite throwing on Croatian tornado Mario Mandzukic for the ineffective Fernando Torres. Barcelona should have scored again soon afterwards, when Ivan Rakitic burst forward in his usual jet-pack fashion, feeding Messi, who in turn coaxed a ball through to Neymar, who was left with what should have been a simple finish. 

You could already see the route it was going to take, steered round Oblak and into the far corner. But Neymar, perhaps feeling the pressure of the situation, decided to aim for the near post and blazed the ball over the bar. It did not matter. Neither did the fact that Pedro's effort from distance flew millimetres wide of Oblak's top-right corner. What did, was that Bravo was alert to make a smart stop from a Guilherme Siqueira drive, late on. 

Atletico president Enrique Cerezo remembered that last season, Barcelona supporters applauded them off the field, despite Godin's header denying Barcelona the title. 'We have fantastic memories of winning La Liga last season at Camp Nou and the treatment we received from the fans of Barca,' said Cerezo. 'So if Barca win La Liga today, I hope we can celebrate with them.'

There was more of a mixed reception, with the bad blood that has shot up between these sides in recent meeting – red cards, Arda Turan throwing his boot at the linesman, Neymar aggravating Atletico fans with his flicks and tricks – with some choosing to applaud the new league champions, others opting to hurl abuse.

But in the end, Messi's 54th goal in 54 games this season in all competitions made the difference – not to mention his 30 assists – with Barcelona supporters now looking forward to welcoming the team home next week, with two finals to follow.

They will be spilling out of the bars and dancing around the Canaletes fountain, which is shrouded in legend, which sits at the top of Las Ramblas, as they have done since the 1930s, when the club wins a trophy. If all goes to plan, they will be doing it twice more, too. 

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Thomas Muller hits second-leg winner but Neymar's magic double leaves Pep Guardiola's Bavarians too much to do

Thomas Muller collected the ball just outside the area, sized up the angle and curled a quite beautiful shot into the bottom corner. The Allianz Arena roared its approval. And then they remembered: just another three needed. In 15 minutes. Oh dear.

This was an excellent game if you forgot about the scoreline. The real scoreline that is. Not the one on the night. Bayern Munich went ahead, Barcelona rallied and took the lead, Munich equalised, Munich won. End to end stuff. 

In reality, nothing happened. Munich started the game needing three goals to take it to extra time, and ended the game needing three to progress. The closest they got was an eight minute spell in the first half when two goals were needed to force the additional 30 minutes. For 15 minutes of the match they were four short, for 30 minutes they trailed by five. It was one of those illusory matches, like the one that Roman Abramovich fell in love with, between Real Madrid and Manchester United in 2003. That was exhibition stuff, too. End to end, because United were never really close on aggregate. 

Equally, Munich’s fans left this game happy. They salvaged some pride, put up a good show – but, in truth, didn’t lay a glove on Barcelona. The early goal only made the Catalans angry. They wrapped the tie up 23 minutes later and, from there, it was academic. 

By the time Muller hit his winner the odd fan was already on the way home. It gets busy on the A9 near the stadium and everyone knew where this was heading anyway. Bayern Munich put back in their box at the semi-final stage, once again. This wasn’t as chastening as last year’s Spanish lesson from Real Madrid but only because there was less on it to begin with. Madrid came here shielding a single goal lead, Barcelona had the tie as good as won. ‘One city, one dream,’ read the large display around the ground, but within 30 minutes what had unfolded was a waking nightmare. 

The widespread wisdom was that Munich needed an early goal but with hindsight nothing could have been further from the truth. One just after half-time, and it would have been interesting to see how Barcelona would have seen out the last 40 minutes – particularly with Luis Suarez off with a hamstring injury. Yet scoring after seven minutes meant the teams had all the time in the world to trade blows. By scoring early, Munich merely annoyed a superior team.

The problem is, Barcelona are simply better at the football Munich wish to play. A spoiling team might get a lucky break from a set-piece – their one vulnerability – but take them on at football and it only plays to their strengths. So Munich rather sweetly blundered in after seven minutes from a Xabi Alonso corner and paid the price. Medhi Benatia rose unmarked and was allowed a free header which Marc-Andre ter Stegen could not keep out. The Allianz Arena went bananas. 

Here it was unfolding before their eyes – the greatest comeback in Champions League history. That dream didn’t last long.

Eight minutes, give or take the odd second. It was a beautiful riposte. Lionel Messi slid a lovely pass into the path of Suarez who burst through a leaden back line and drew Manuel Neuer before squaring the ball for Neymar to tap into an empty net. It would have looked good in meme form on the computer screen. In the flesh it was quite marvellous. There were Munich chances after that, quite a few of them, but in the 30th minute Barcelona settled it.

It was a goal that owed something to Wimbledon, and more to the Royal Ballet. Ter Stegen struck a big kick from his hands for Suarez to chase, which he did with considerably more vim than those around him. Veering wide to the right, he delayed his cross until Neymar had got the space he needed in the middle, and then picked him out, perfectly. Neymar chested the ball down and also waited for the right moment before finishing smartly past Neuer. With Messi he now forms the most prolific Champions League scoring partnership since Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for Manchester United in 2001-02. 

Could it have been different? Well, yes, had Munich taken every chance presented them. Ter Stegen was excellent in keeping them at bay in the first half: a Muller header after 19 minutes, a Robert Lewandowski shot after 27. Muller should have done much better in the 29th minute, Lewandowski after 40, both chances set up by Thiago Alcantara.

In the second half, Lewandowski made amends, of sorts, with arguably the goal of the night. Receiving the ball to feet, he got the jump on Javier Mascherano, switched it from his left to his right and curled it sweetly into the corner of the net. 

On many other European occasions in Bavaria, it would have been a goal that told of future glory. Here it was a footnote, a trifle, an irrelevance. Wasted, in many ways. To their credit, Munich kept probing but it was more through memory than belief.

The best thing about having the finest technical footballers in the world is that it allows a team to do outrageous things. Like the moment midway through the first half when Barcelona had a free-kick 40 yards from Munich’s goal and, instead of sending everyone up and putting it in the mixer, Messi side-footed a short pass to Suarez who had four opponents around him. Stuff like this happens all the time. Players take the initiative, demand the ball no matter the circumstances. Wonderful angles result, players get sucked into a Barcelona black hole, moved out of position so deftly it is as if they are on strings pulled from above.  

Pep Guardiola alternated between three and four at the back as he had at the Nou Camp but neither made much difference. Perhaps he should try another number. Eight, or ten. It is pointless trying to play Barcelona as equals and maybe that was Guardiola’s vanity peeking through. He couldn’t bear to try to throw a blanket over his old team, so he went toe to toe.

Even chasing five at one stage, the home fans still sang, waved their flags and bounced on demand, but it had rather a hollow ring. Barcelona sliced through them with surgical precision when it mattered, incisive, insightful, working furiously when the occasion demanded. In the last 12 minutes of the first leg and for a quarter of an hour of the first half here they simply swept Munich from the board. 

It was more than enough, no matter the noise and fury of the locals. If the Spanish strike holds, this could be Barcelona’s last game for 25 days. It’s fair to say they’ll be missed. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3078830/Bayern-Munich-3-2-Barcelona-agg-3-5-Champions-League-semi-final-Thomas-Muller-hits-second-leg-winner-Neymar-s-magic-double-leaves-Pep-Guardiola-s-Bavarians-do.html#ixzz3aZZO5kwD 

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Barcelona 2-0 Real Sociedad: Neymar and Pedro down David Moyes' men

David Moyes did his best to help out old friend Carlo Ancelotti in the Spanish title race but his team's stubborn resistance was finally broken by Neymar as Barcelona beat Real Sociedad.

With a spectacular finish from Pedro to double Barcelona's advantage they were comfortable winners in the end but they had been anything but comfortable for long periods of the game.

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola has nothing on Moyes this week – the former Everton and Manchester United manager's team looked far more solid than the Germans had at the Nou Camp four days earlier.

There was also no hurried change of plan after 15 minutes either as Real Sociedad frustrated throughout the first half and did not concede until the 50-minute mark.

They had 22-year-old Argentine goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli to thank for a large part of the resistance. He was in brilliant form and Moyes deployed the  tactic of funnelling Barcelona's attacks in-field where there were plenty of blue and white striped shirts to block, tackle and rob.

When the first goal came it was Neymar who scored it. He has now netted in all six of last games and it was his 50th for the club. Barcelona's front three have scored 112 goals this season. He was mobbed by team-mates relieved at the deadlock being broken after such a difficult first period.

Messi had been the first to try and fail to beat young Rulli with a looping header from just inside the area that the keeper batted away. Then the man, who destroyed Bayern inside three minutes in midweek, set up Neymar and the Brazilian was also foiled by the visiting keeper.

Real were getting tight to their illustrious rivals. Both Alberto De la Bella and Markel Bergara were booked for getting too tight with late challenges and Luis Suarez was thumped from behind by Iñigo Martinez but this time referee Ignacio Iglesias' cards stayed in his pocket.

Barcelona needed a win to stay clear of Real Madrid playing Valencia later on Saturday night and both Dani Alves and Gerard Pique were joining the Barcelona attacks as often as possible.

He was denied by Rulli too as Barcelona continued to lay siege to Real Sociedad's goal. Messi then found Suarez in space at the back post but the former Liverpool striker headed unselfishly across the face of the goal instead of goalwards. The bounced invitingly in front of Xavi and Neymar but perhaps thinking Suarez would go for goal himself, no one reacted and the ball went out of play.

The nerves were starting to creep into Barcelona's play with Rafinha putting the ball straight out for a goalkeeper. And when the half-time whistle went Messi hammered the ball skywards in frustration at a wasted half.

Real walked off tall at the break feeling they had gone toe-to-toe with the best team in Europe at the moment and not conceded. Mikel Gonzalez throwing himself at Rafinha's shot just before the break had summed up the performance. Was it really going to be one of those days?

Bartra almost headed a Xavi corner into the top corner with Barcelona's first chance of the second half but that man Rulli was there again to tip the ball away for another corner.

Both Andres Iniesta and Sergi Busquets were now warming up and Luis Enrique was starting to move around his technical area almost as anxiously as Moyes but on 50 minutes the Camp Nou breathed a huge sigh of relief as Mikel Gonalez flicked on a Messi's diagonal pass and at the far post Neymar ghosted in to put Barca ahead.

It was a credit to Real Sociedad that they had held out for so long but Moyes will not have seen it that way – the Brazilian was unmarked when he beat Rulli. His team were not completely out of it and it was a measure of the threat they still posed that Mascherano was put back into the centre of defence for the substituted Bartra and the Argentine was immediately booked for flying into a tackle on Xabi Prieto.

Moyes threw on Alfredo Finnbogason and Chory Castro and Barça continued to wobble at the back but then came the spectacular second. Suarez, Adriano and Messi linked up and Pedro bicycle kicked the ball over Rulli and just under his crossbar.

Real Sociedad has gone away empty-handed but Moyes had given them another glimpse of the future. It was an example how he can make teams difficult to beat. It had been a very uncomfortable afternoon for Barcelona – for more uncomfortable than the evening they spent putting three past Bayern Munich in midweek.

For Barcelona there are now two hurdles left to clear. Next week they face Atletico Madrid, strike pending. And Deportivo come to the Nou Camp for the final game of the season a week later. A run of wins that now totals 28 in 30 matches continues to take them towards the treble. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3074929/Barcelona-2-0-Real-Sociedad-Neymar-Pedro-David-Moyes-men.html#ixzz3aZV8r4O6 

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