And Messi made the difference

Football.fr
Posted on 28/11/2018 at 22h58,
Updated on 28/11/2018 at 23:34

Moved to Eindhoven on Wednesday in the fifth round of the Champions League, Barça has not dominated the PSV thanks to a Messi scorer and decisive passer (1-2). The Catalans thus ensure the first place of their pool, in front of a Tottenham returned to the height of Inter at the same time (1-0).

PSV, who could still claim a place in the Europa League according to the results of the day, can be disappointed. For an hour, the Eindhoven club jostled a Barça already qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League but who still had to ensure the first place of the group. It's now done, at the expense of Batavians eliminated from all European competitions and while Tottenham, beating Inter at the same time (1-0) thanks to a goal from Eriksen (80th), has returned to height of the Milanese formation to play until the end of the second ticket for the knockout stage.

To achieve their ends, the Catalans had to rely first on the baraka of a huge Ter Stegen on his goal line and twice compensated by its amounts. In the absence of Umtiti, whose relapse after his fresh left knee injury was formalized a little earlier in the evening by the Blaugrana staff, Lenglet and Piqué have sometimes taken the water against the repeated assaults of Dutch. But for lack of realism, the PSV finally stretched the stick to be beaten.

On a movement initiated by his care and well relayed by Dembélé, the inevitable Messi did not pray to impose the sanction. His speed of execution and his short hooks got the better of the defensive solidity of the opponents, all on a dry strike impeccably placed (0-1, 61st). The sixth goal of La Pulga this season in three games of C1 – the 15th in all competitions! Less than ten minutes later, the free kick, the Argentine was split a decisive pass for the goal of the break signed Piqué, a well-felt deviation in the area (0-2, 70th). What make vain the reduction of the gap to put the credit of De Jong late in the game (1-2, 83). A small consolation prize for a PSV who certainly deserved better tonight.