Barcelona 3-0 Liverpool
Five-time champions of Europe, both craving a sixth title – no wonder this Champions League tie was so richly anticipated.
In the end, a one-sided scoreline means Barcelona have one foot in the final in Madrid a month today.
Yet don’t let that fool you.
This was a close game with little to separate the sides until the closing stages.
Highlights of the game
Once again, when the dust settles, all the talk will be of the man with magic in his boots and all SBOBET fans and football fans the world over can only admire Lionel Messi.
As he did to Manchester United in the quarter-finals, the brilliant Argentine produced more Champions League 2019 highlights to leave next week’s second leg close to irrelevant barring a comeback to match all comebacks.
There were eight minutes remaining when, 35 yards from goal, the diminutive number 10 swerved a free-kick into the net that was simply outrageous.
It was hard not to admire the brilliance, even if the score was extremely harsh on the Merseysiders.
To prove the point, even after Messi’s wonder strike, Sadio Mane saw a shot hacked off the line by Ivan Rakitic before Mo Salah fired the rebound against the upright.
Earlier, Marc-Andre ter Stegen had prevented a Salah effort from fizzing into the bottom corner. The Barca goalkeeper also denied James Milner at point blank range.
In the first half, Mane was also denied with just the goalkeeper to beat after a fine ball from Jordan Henderson, who came on for the injured Naby Keita – another sign of the bad luck Liverpool were experiencing.
Ultimately, though, Liverpool’s failure to take their chances and Barca’s clinical finishing was contrasting and leaves the Champions League 2019 betting odds firmly in the Catalans’ camp.
A frenetic opening period had seen play switch from end-to-end before the opener arrived courtesy of one of two lost loves who are still fondly thought of by the red half of Merseyside.
Luis Suarez’s movement was timed to perfection as he got between Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip and flicked a Jordi Alba cross past Alisson.
After that the newly crowned champions of Spain, retaining the title they have won for the past two seasons in some style, were second best for spells against opponents faring well domestically and abroad in their own right.
Then Messi made it two.
After laying the ball off to Suarez, the Uruguayan struck the ball with his knee and it clipped the top off the crossbar before Messi, continuing his run, controlled the rebound and poked the ball into an empty net.
Then came the magic moment and dispirited Liverpool were suddenly three behind in a contest in which they had more than held their own.
This game highlighted the stark realities of Champions League football at the highest level.
Having a more clinical edge is one thing, having Messi, for whom you run out of superlatives, is very much another.
Key statistics
Messi has scored 26 goals in 33 matches against English clubs – more than he has managed against teams from any other country. No player has more against teams from a particular country in the competition’s history (level with Cristiano Ronaldo against German clubs).
This was Liverpool’s joint-heaviest Champions League defeat after also losing 0-3 to Real Madrid in October 2014.
They have also now lost more matches in the Champions League this season (four in 11 matches) than in all other competitions combined (three in 38 matches).
Barcelona have won 15 of their 25 two-legged ties with English clubs, including the last five. The 2012 semi-final defeat by Chelsea is the only reverse in their last nine contests, all in the knockout phase.
This was Barcelona’s fifth game against English opponents this season; they were 4-0 aggregate winners against United in the quarter-finals and took four points off Tottenham Hotspur in the group stage.
Three of Barcelona’s eight semi-final defeats in this competition have come against English opponents, with only one victory.
This is Barcelona’s 12th Champions League semi-final – fewer only than Real Madrid (13) in the competition’s history.
Barcelona are unbeaten in 32 Champions League home matches, a run that began in September 2013 (won 29, drawn three).
Barcelona are the only undefeated team left in the competition (won eight, drawn three).
What’s next?
Barcelona travel to Celta Vigo in La Liga on Saturday when they are expected to rest key players.
Liverpool cannot afford that luxury as they visit Newcastle in the Premier League.
The second leg takes place next Tuesday (May 7).
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