Liverpool Crumble as Messi Lights the Camp Nou One More Time!

Lionel Messi just doesn’t get tired of surprising us. He just doesn’t. The current 5th best player in the world displayed yet another miraculous performance at the Nou Camp as Barcelona beat Liverpool 3-0.

The scoreline probably doesn’t tell the real story, but when you put Leo Messi into perspective, and the magical display of his, you can’t really argue. The scoreline does seem harsh on Liverpool, as they were dominant for most parts of the game, but the class of Barcelona combined with the GOAT was more than enough for Barcelona to feel a step closer to yet another Champions League final.

Former Liverpool striker, Luis Suarez opened the scoreline, as Jordi Alba’s fine cross was met with a fine run from Suarez who guided the ball past Alisson. The first half ended 1-0 but even being 1-0 behind, Liverpool continued to attack and had Barcelona cornered against their own goal at several occasions. Barça goalkeeper Ter Stegen made a couple of saves that kept Barcelona’s lead in tact. Two good saves of James Milner being the highlight of Ter Stegen’s match but those were soon forgotten when Lionel Messi pounced on a loose ball that came off the post after Luis Suarez’s mishit. Totally against the run of play, Messi guided the ball into the net for the second goal, which was also forgotten when Messi scored a blinder of a third goal.

With the ball set for a free kick 25 yards away from goal, not many could have predicted the ball hitting the back of the net. Probably a bit too far, even for Leo Messi’s standards, but it did, and the goal was a thing of beauty. The social media reminded the world that it was 14 years ago today, when Messi announced himself to the world, and scored his first goal for Barcelona. This amazing free kick today was his 600th goal, and Messi reached this milestone with a thing if beauty.

Barcelona could have added more goals with Arturo Vidal and Ousmane Dembele fluffing chances, which were again put on a plate by Messi. Liverpool themselves had several chances to get that crucial away goal, especially the one where Mohamed Salah hit the post from the edge of the 6 yard box, just minutes after Messi scored from the free kick 25 yards away from the goal.

Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp will feel hard done by the final scoreline, as their efforts probably deserved something, but it wasn’t to be, and the referee blew the whistle to call it half time in the tie.

Liverpool now play Newcastle United at St. James Park on Saturday to keep up the pressure on Manchester City. The Citizens find themselves only a single point ahead of their title rivals Liverpool and will be in 2nd place again should Liverpool beat Newcastle. Manchester City play Leicester City at home on Monday. Jurgen Klopp has a task ahead of him to lift his players and bring the focus back to the domestic problems, as any other result other than a win will virtually hand the title to Manchester City with only one more gameweek to go after this.

It’s been a season of fine margins for Liverpool as proved today, and it might as well end like that should both City and Liverpool win their remaining games which would see City clinch the title by a mere point.