Barcelona had Messi

A second consecutive final of Champions’ League for Liverpool will be difficult to get after the result of this week. The Reds got beaten in Camp Nou last Wednesday, dominated in the end (but not in the game) by Barcelona 3-0 for the first leg game of this semifinal between two teams that could have been the two adversaries in a European final without any problem.

Cameroonian centre-back Joël Matip was composing the English defense with Dutch Virgil van Dijk. Africa was well represented on the Reds’ side since Egyptian Mohamed Salah, Guinean Naby Keita and Senegalese Sadio Mané also started the game. The next episode was less rejoicing for Keita, who left the pitch in the first half due to an injury, but Liverpool compelled the Blaugrana to defend until Messi showed his face in the last twenty minutes.

Previously, Luis Suarez had given the advantage to Barcelona (1-0) before the Reds kept the ball and multiplicated assaults on Marc-André ter Stegen’s goal. The salute came, as usual, by Messi, who inherited a ball without any opposition (2-0) and then scored on free kick in the last minutes (3-0).

The return in Anfield Road has not been played yet, but Liverpool’s chances are weak all the more as Barcelona is particularly motivated at the idea of potentially playing another final of Champions’ League, something they have not lived since 2015 and the victory against Juventus (3-1).

In the second semifinal, Tottenham lost at home (0-1) against Ajax Amsterdam of Cameroonian goalkeeper André Onana.

By Guillaume Mahot

Sources: www.lequipe.fr

Africa Global News Publication