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FC Barcelona opened their UEFA Champions League campaign with a dominant 4-0 drubbing of Dutch giants PSV on Tuesday. The win was a statement in all forms to their European rivals that the Catalans will go all out this season for European glory.
At the forefront of that big victory was the incredible Lionel Messi, who showed once more why many people regard him as the best player ever to play the game. The Argentine was at his usual best as the caused the PSV defence all sorts of troubles throughout the 90 minutes.
In the end, Messi grabbed a hat-trick – his first for the season – whiles leading by example as he seeks to return Barcelona to the pinnacle of European football.
It was a huge win, but it could have been more and, there were also occasions where one could sense PSV getting back into the game.
Below are five takeaways from the game:
#5 Dembele finally repaying Barca faith
Last season was one of the most frustrating for young winger Ousmane Dembele. The France international joined Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund in a staggering €120 million deal, making him the second most expensive player in the world at the time.
However, the 21-year-old was blighted by issues of injuries until a few months to the end of the season when he showed glimpses of his true quality.
That, though, has not stopped the former Stade Rennes attacker from finding his feet this season. Dembele did not get much playing time with France at the World Cup, but winning the trophy seems to have boosted his confidence.
This season, he has already netted four goals and against PSV on Tuesday he scored another to set Barca en route to a 4-0 win over the Dutch side. Finally, it looks like the Frenchman is beginning to repay Barca’s faith in him.
#4 New season, same old Messi
Lionel Messi continues to defy every odd and continues to win over many football fans with each passing game. The Argentine has been superb in La Liga this season, scoring five goals in five games, but he looks like he is hungrier for success in Europe.
On Tuesday, Messi completely dominated the game on his own and ended up with three goals to his name. The 31-year-old set the ball rolling with a marvellous freekick before adding two more to finish off PSV.
It might be a new season, but Messi remains the same old lethal attacker who has always scored goals for fun. Anytime he is in this mood, he comes across as unstoppable and PSV just became his latest victims.
The season is still young, and one game is not enough to describe Barca as favourites for the Champions League, but with Messi in such form, Blaugrana fans have every right to dream big.
#3 Dembele-Messi partnership a joy
For many Barcelona fans, seeing Ousmane Dembele back to form is a pleasing sight, but they are made much happier by the partnership the Frenchman has formed with Lionel Messi.
Last season, the pair rarely clicked on the pitch, save the Champions League round of 16 clash against Chelsea, where both were on the scoresheet. However, the story has so far been different this season and Tuesday night was yet another testament of their understanding on the field.
Messi and Dembele combined to deadly effect on a number of occasions, causing problems on both wings for their opponents.
It was only deserving that both players got on the scoresheet as reward for their outstanding performance against the Dutch side. Their partnership was simply a joy to watch. Throw Luis Suarez into the mix and Barcelona boast one of the most lethal attacks in the world currently.
#2 PSV showed a lot of fight
Days like these are the reason why the phrase ‘gallant losers’ still has relevance. On Tuesday, PSV may have lost but the defeat came against a far superior and classy opponent.
The Dutch side came into the fixture as underdogs and, although they lost by a huge margin, they still went home with their heads held up high. The 4-0 score line was deserving for Barca, but it was also harsh on the visitors.
PSV showed a lot of fight and in players like Hirving Lozano, Luuk de Jong and Steven Bergwijn, the club has a bright future. They may have lost, but they showed glimpses of a side that has quality and can trouble any top European side on any day.
#1 Carless Umtiti still has a lot to learn
It was a fine performance for Barcelona but it was nearly marred by the red card of defender Samuel Umtiti. The centre-back has been one of Barca’s most consistent performers since he joined at the start of last season.
However, his hot head and reckless decision-making sometimes undermine his brave defending on the pitch. Against PSV, the France international was responsible for a number of errors and was perhaps fortunate to have remained on the pitch till the 79th-minute when he was sent off.
The first yellow-card was avoidable as Umtiti went in with a loose challenge in the air on De Jong. The second booking was equally reckless as he needlessly blocked off the run of Lozano, leaving the referee with no choice than to send him off.
Umtiti has everything to become a world beater and one of the best defenders in the world. But to achieve that, he needs to learn and incidents like that of Tuesday must be cut out from his game.
