Messi magic

Barcelona, August 9

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Just when it looked like Lionel Messi had nowhere to go, the Argentine great bamboozled half of Napoli’s team before scoring from an exquisite solo effort that helped Barcelona reach the Champions League quarterfinals.

Messi netted Barcelona’s second goal in the 3-1 victory that sent the Spanish side past Napoli on a 4-2 aggregate score on Saturday. Messi’s goal in the 23rd minute was arguably the pick of the 31 he has scored this season in all competitions. Napoli appeared to have him in check when Messi received the ball all alone outside the right corner of the area.

Barcelona’s all-time record scorer, however, dipped his head and took on the well-placed defence. He kept control of the ball despite being knocked over while going past three Napoli players. Three more tried to intervene but Messi found the angle to fire while losing his balance to send the ball past the goalkeeper and inside the far post.

Clement Lenglet and Luis Suarez also scored for Barcelona, who advanced five months after they drew 1-1 in Naples before the pandemic stopped European soccer.

Barcelona will meet Bayern Munich on Friday in the quarterfinals to be played in Lisbon in a “bubble” format of tight security to prevent a coronavirus outbreak from derailing the competition’s finale. Bayern sealed their spot after beating Chelsea 4-1 with two goals from Robert Lewandowski to complete a 7-1 rout over two legs.

More than satisfied

“We are more than satisfied with our first half,” Suarez said. “Bayern is a great rival and is one of the favourites, along with us, of the eight that will be in Portugal.”

Messi’s beautiful goal doubled Barcelona’s lead after Lenglet headed in a corner in the 10th. The opener settled Barcelona down after Napoli’s Dries Mertens had given the hosts a scare by hitting the post shortly after kickoff.

Video review had a busy night. It disallowed another Messi goal for handball by the forward and then awarded Messi a penalty after he slipped in front of Kalidou Koulibaly and was kicked in the lower left leg by the defender. Messi spent several minutes receiving medical attention, and Suarez stepped up to convert the spot kick.

Barcelona coach Quique Setien said that Messi, who played the whole game, had a hard knock but added: “I don’t think he will have a problem.”

Barcelona are searching for their first European cup since 2015 and only a Champions League trophy will prevent them from ending the season without a title for the first time since 2014. They lost the Spanish league title to Real Madrid last month and failed to reach the Copa del Rey final. — PTI

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