'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
You can be forgiven if you missed a few minutes of the game between Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon, so dire was the game! It really shouldn't have been considering Sporting were fighting for a place in the round of 16 and Barca played a few fringe players who, you'd presume, would have been hungry to make a statement.
Instead, what we got was an away side who were happy to sit deep and a home side who lacked the creativity to break them down. Eventually, though, Barcelona's quality shone as a header from Paco Alcacer and an own goal from former Barca centre-back Jeremy Mathieu got them the three points.
Without much ado, here are the talking points from the game.
#5 Barcelona's lack of creativity in Messi and Iniesta's absence
Andres Iniesta was rested as he is carrying a niggle and Messi was given a sort of a breather (cause he was called upon in the second half) before the more important game against Villarreal this weekend. Denis Suarez, Andre Gomes and Ivan Rakitic played in the three-man midfield but couldn't really create anything worth noting.
Valverde has deployed the 4-4-2 to good effect with Messi and Suarez up top. The system works with Messi dropping deep to create, but in the 4-3-3, neither did they have a creator nor did they have good wide players to stretch the Sporting defence.
There's been talk of the side going after Philippe Coutinho in the coming transfer window and perhaps even Leon Goretzka. Boy, do they need them! While Denis was good in parts, he isn't the player who can pick a pass and unlock a defence. Gomes, on the other hand, hasn't done enough to justify his big money move from Valencia and seems more like an utility player at best.
#4 What was Sporting's gameplan?
A team that had everything to play for in the final group game; you'd presume Sporting would have seen how Barca succumbed to Celta Vigo's pressing this past weekend. However, what we got was a team who rarely ventured forward.
Jorge Jesus' side lined up with five midfielders, a formation that stifled Barca's creativity. But they lacked the urgency to attack the Blaugrana after the turnovers. In William Carvalho, they had the midfielder who could have made the forward forays, but he was more or less stationed at the halfway line.
Gelson Martins, arguably Sporting's brightest talent, was named on the bench and came on in the second half. When he did get the ball, he lacked the support and was naturally dispossessed by Barcelona.
Jasper Cillessen had to make just one good save in the game, to thwart Bas Dost, but the way Sporting allowed Barca to dominate the midfield was a bit hard to believe.
#3 Luis Suarez can't catch a break
The most common theme in Barcelona games is that of Luis Suarez with his arms raised in frustration. The Uruguayan put in a good shift, often drifting wide, collecting passes and testing the Sporting defence, but the goal-scoring touch still eludes him.
There was one moment in the first half when he shuffled the ball past Sebastian Coates, which reminded me the Suarez of old, but what followed after that was infuriating. What should have been a routine finish turned into another few seconds that'll be added to the Luis Suarez compilation of inept finishing.
His lack of goals in the first few games sort of went under the radar as Messi was scoring goals for fun. But now that the Argentine is being used in a slightly withdrawn role to make up for the lack of creativity, ever time Suarez misses a chance, more will be the pressure on his shoulders.
Paco Alcacer hasn't done a bad job when called upon and with the El Clasico not far away, Suarez needs to ensure he gets his act together to stay in the playing XI.
#2 Sporting and the Europa League dilemma
When the draws were made, quite a few Sporting fans were pessimistic about their chances of making it to the round of 16, and understandably so as they had drawn the former La Liga champions and the current Serie A holders. The same fans will be glad their side could at least take it to the final matchday of the group stage.
Jorge Jesus' side might not take the Europa League all that seriously, though, considering they are level on points with Porto in the Liga NOS and are fighting for the domestic title, something they have failed to win since 2002.
That's right, the two sides have an identical record of 10 wins and three draws from 13 games. The Europa League is one of the hardest competitions to win simply because of the travelling and the number of games. There is also little monetary reward for the winners, so why would they want to go after a Cup when they have the chance to end their long domestic title wait?
#1 Barcelona's impressive defensive record in the Champions League
This past weekend, Barcelona had their problems against Celta and haven't convinced against teams -- like Sevilla, Athletic Bilbao and Valencia -- who play a high pressing setup. But you've got to admit that they have a gameplan on how to set up at the back.
Losing Samuel Umtiti was a blow but Thomas Vermaelen has impressed with his performances and has a bit of a surprise rise as many deemed him not good enough to start games for the club anymore. The Belgian was pretty solid with his distribution from the back and won as many as four aerial duels, that same numbers that Gerard Pique managed in the game as well.
The midfield setup has made the team harder to break down, and even Juventus, with all the attacking talent of Dybala, Higuain, Cuadrado and Mandzukic, failed to breach the Blaugrana defence.
The side finish the group stages with the best defensive record of conceding just one goal and can be proud of that.
