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Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s early goal wasn’t enough for PSG as Barcelona’s front three of Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez all got on the score sheet to ensure a comfortable 3-1 victory which meant that the Catalans went through as the group winners for the eighth-straight season.Here are the major talking points from the game.
#1 PSG play their way into trouble
There is a fine line between stupidity and genius. For much of the game against Barcelona, PSG were treading dangerously on that line. Laurent Blanc's plan was simple, let the Catalans have the ball and break at speed. But for this to happen, they needed to get from back to front very quickly. Although they had the players to do so, far too often they were guilty of over-playing at the back.
Given the amount of times that the home side swarmed on the visitors defence, who were simply knocking around short passes around their own box, it was a surprise that a goal didn't arrive as a result of their high pressing. Not only their central defenders but central midfielders as well, tried to be too cute and too clever and put themselves into dangerous situations which they otherwise wouldn't be in, if they simply cleared their lines.
#2 Bartra shines in shaky defence
Marc Bartra is one of Barcelona's most promising defensive prospects and against PSG he showed just why. It is hard enough being a youngster and playing as a centre back, when the others haven’t done particularly well, but it is even harder to switch between being a centre back and a right back during a game. But the Spanish centre back not only managed that but was also the best defender on the pitch.
At the start of the game, the 23-year-old was asked to play on the right of a three-man defence and as the game went on, he was asked to play as a right back and that is where Bartra showed tremendous maturity by adapting to an unfamiliar role instantly. The Spaniard put his body on the line time and again and outshone his more illustrious partners in what was his finest performance in a Blaugrana shirt till date.
#3 PSG pay the price for their profligate finishing
At the highest level, the difference between two sides is very marginal. With the attacking qualities of both sides with the likes of Edinson Cavani, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Messi and Neymar, there was always going to be plenty of chances and the winner would be the side who made the most of their opportunities. While Barca's front three scored, only the Swede got on the score sheet for the visitors. And it wasn’t because they didn’t have many chances, it was because they failed to take the opportunities that came their way.
Lucas Moura in particular, should have made it 2-1 on the half hour mark and the visitors missed a few more chances in the second half, which meant that they were unable to get the draw they came for and had to be content with second place in the group.
#4 Barcelona\'s front three finally starting to click into gear
When you have the likes of Suarez, Neymar and Messi on the pitch, scoring goals shouldn't be a problem. But the problem for the Catalans has been that their front three haven't clicked and to make matters worse, have forced Luis Enrique to play two defensive midfielders as they haven't tracked back. Against PSG, the trio showed glimmers of what could well be the most-threatening front three in Europe.
All three got on the score sheet and some of their link-up play was simply sublime. But what will please the manager more than anything else will be their work rate. The trio pressed high up the pitch, which made the jobs of the midfielders a lot easier. If they continue to show the same commitment, then it won't be long before Enrique switches to a more traditional three man midfield with just one defensive player, which will make them even more of a threat going forward.
#5 Will PSG be left to rue the missed opportunities?
Although both sides had already qualified, the importance of this game couldn't be understated. All PSG had to do was avoid defeat to claim top spot in the group. But they were unable to do that and ended up finishing second.
Losing away to Barcelona isn’t anything to be ashamed of, but leading 1-0 at Ajax with 15 minutes to go and drawing the game is hard to take. That is precisely why PSG will be kicking themselves if they get drawn with Real Madrid, Chelsea or Bayern Munich, because it was their inability to maintain their lead in the first and last game of the group, that has led to that.
