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Barcelona collapsed against an injury-depleted Liverpool side last night to squander a 3-0 first leg lead and got eliminated from the Champions League, following their 4-0 loss at Anfield in the semi-final second leg. Divock Origi and Georgino Wijnaldum scored braces as Jurgen Klopp's side leveraged the atmosphere at Anfield to trounce the Spanish champions, pulling off the upset of the season in the Champions League. Lionel Messi's first leg heroics, where he scored a sensational brace, came undone as the Argentine talisman was effectively nullified by Virgil van Dijk and company on Merseyside.
The gaping inadequacies of Ernesto Valverde's Barcelona were highlighted as last night's performance yet again showed that Messi's superhuman performances were all that enabled them to get so far in Europe's premier competition. A season that seemed destined for a record 'third treble' and an inevitable record sixth Ballon d'Or for Messi crumbled like a deck of cards in England. Although Barcelona might go on to complete the domestic double by winning their Copa del Rey final against Valencia, this group of players will go down as one of the most character-lacking squads in Blaugrana history.
Barcelona's over-dependency on Messi and defensive frailties were exploited superbly by Klopp's Liverpool side as the 'Messiah' provided the lone creative spark for the Blaugrana, being directly involved in all eight of Barcelona's shots last night against Liverpool, with five shots attempted and three chances created. Showing incredible team spirit even without key players such as Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, Liverpool crushed the newly-crowned Spanish champions.
This author is, however, of the opinion that Messi will still end up winning a record sixth Ballon d'Or because of his otherworldly performances this season, despite Barcelona's shambolic display in the Champions League. Here are the three reasons for coming to this conclusion.
#3 Messi's incredible goalscoring record this season
To say Messi has left behind all the premier strikers in Europe in terms of goalscoring this season is an understatement. The mercurial Argentine magician has revelled in a free role just behind Luis Suarez, scoring an incredible 48 goals in 46 games in all competitions for Barcelona this season. He is currently leading not just La Liga's goalscoring charts, but also the European Golden Boot and the Champions League top scorers' list as well. Kylian Mbappe's three-match suspension effectively means Messi will win a record sixth European Golden Boot for this season's majestic performances.
Messi not only leads in terms of goal quantity but goal quality as well. His snap finish against Levante two weekends back was crucial as it saw Barcelona mathematically secure the league title. His sensational brace against Manchester United in the quarter-finals and then again against Liverpool in the semi-final first leg answered critics, who claimed that he doesn't perform in UEFA Champions League knockout fixtures.
Champions League Top Scorers List
- Lionel Messi (Barcelona)-12 goals, 3 assists
- Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)-8 goals, 0 assists
- Dusan Tadic (Ajax)-6 goals, 3 assists
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)-6 goals, 2 assists
- Moussa Marega (FC Porto)-6 goals, 2 assists
European Golden Boot Standings (only League goals considered)
- Lionel Messi (Barcelona)-34 goals, 68 points
- Kylian Mbappe (Bayern Munich)-30 goals,60 points
- Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria)-25 goals, 50 points
- Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)-22 goals, 44 points
- Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)-22 goals, 44 points
La Liga Top Scorers List
- Lionel Messi (Barcelona)-34 goals, 13 assists
- Luis Suarez (Barcelona)-21 goals, 6 assists
- Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)-21 goals, 5 assists
- Christian Stuani (Girona)-18 goals, 0 assists
- Wissam Ben Yedder (Valencia)-17 goals, 8 assists
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo's mediocre season
The Ballon d'Or was the personal playtoy of this generation's two elite footballers - Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi until Luka Modric pipped the duo to the accolade last season. Ronaldo has had a mediocre first season with Italian champions Juventus, who were knocked out of the Champions League quarter-finals by a youthful Ajax side. This was the first year since 2009-10 that Ronaldo didn't feature in a Champions League semi-final. The record Champions League goalscorer managed only six goals in Europe's premier club competition this season, only half of Messi's tally of 12.
Ronaldo has taken his time to settle in Turin and is currently third in the Seria A top goalscorers' list behind Sampdoria's Fabio Quagliarella and Atalanta's Duvan Zapata. Despite Juventus romping to their eighth consecutive Seria A title with ease, they were eliminated from the Coppa Italia by Atalanta. Despite scoring in both legs of their Champions League quarter-final tie against Ajax, CR7 was unable to stop the Dutch heavyweights from progressing.
With Ronaldo having won the majority of his five Ballon d'Or's on the back of sensational Champions League campaigns, his mediocre outinfs this season pips the Ballon d'Or race in Messi's favour
#1 Lack of other major competition
Let's face it. When it comes to individual performances, Messi has been leagues ahead of his competitors this season. With an incredible 22 Man of the Match awards in the present campaign, the mercurial magician has made a mediocre Barcelona team look like world beaters, carrying them into the Champions League semi-finals and ensuring that the Blaugrana are on course for a domestic double.
The sub-par performances oh his competitors are also a factor in my analysis that Messi is likely to win the Ballon d'Or. Virgil van Dijk, the Premier League Player of the Year is Messi's closest rival for the individual award. The Dutch defender has been a colossus at the back for Jurgen Klopp's side, ensuring that the Reds maintain the joint-meanest defence in England. With Manchester City likely to win the English Premier League and defenders rarely winning the Ballon d'Or (The last defender to win it was Fabio Cannovara, after attaining World Cup glory with Italy), Messi will in all likelihood, pip Van Dijk for the top honour.
