PSV Eindhoven vs Barcelona: 5 takeaways | UEFA Champions League 2018-19

For La Blaugrana, this was about sealing the top spot in the group
For La Blaugrana, this was about sealing the top spot in the group

FC Barcelona visited Dutch Champions PSV Eindhoven on Matchday 5 of the UEFA Champions League. The visitors had beaten the PSV team by a 4 goal margin earlier on Matchday 1, and for PSV this game was about getting a shot at the Europa League if they were to win. For La Blaugrana, this was about sealing the top spot in the group.

The match was between two strong attacking teams. PSV has the knack of scoring a number of goals in their league games, and Barcelona much like PSV are the best attacking team in LaLiga. But they had a number of injuries going into the game, including starters like Arthur and Luis Suarez.

Both teams had chances in the first half but Jorrit Hendrix's yellow card was pretty much the only major event in the first half. Barcelona took the lead through Lionel Messi's strike in the 61st minute, and 9 minutes later, Barcelona doubled their lead with Lionel Messi at the thick of things again. Messi's free-kick was miscued towards Pique, who got a good touch on the ball to finish.

PSV eventually got a consolation goal for their hard work throughout the 90 minutes as Luuk De Jong headed in towards the bottom right corner. The strike came in too late for PSV as Barcelona left The Netherlands with 3 points in the bag. The win ensures Barcelona's qualification as group leaders, and also ends PSV's contention for any European competition this year.

Here are five takeaways from the game.


#5 PSV create chances but have nothing to show for it

They can hold their head up high: PSV
They can hold their head up high: PSV

PSV created a number of chances in the game which were clear-cut goals if executed properly. Gaston Pereiro's long-range shot deflected off the post and came back into play, as early as minute 15.

He had another opportunity in a 1v1 against Ter Stegen, just a bit under pressure from Lenglet, and somehow he managed to lob it over the bar.

It was Luuk De Jong who came close to breaking the deadlock next time off a free kick. Ter Stegen could only watch his header went towards the top left corner, but it deflected off the upright again. Dumfries missed an easy chance to slam the ball in from the rebound.

There were a lot of chances in the second half as well. Pablo Rosario missed two easy shots which could have ended up as goals, and there was a poor shot from Jorrit Hendrix to go with it.

If PSV had managed to take the lead from the early chances, they could have looked to close the game out. It would have been a major momentum shift as well, but all they could do was create chances, and took only one of the many that came.

PSV is a great attacking team, nonetheless.

#4 FC Barcelona's defense repeats the same mistakes over and over again

There was simply not enough pressure when the opponent took the header
There was simply not enough pressure when the opponent took the header

It has been noticed far too many times. FC Barcelona's defense is not holding up well. It was a game against PSV, one of the most dangerous attacking teams in Europe, but they don't have a midfield to complement them. With the possession of a fair midfield, the PSV attackers could have ripped Barcelona apart.

The reason PSV could create so many chances is the defensive complacency in the first place. Even after the warning shot had been fired by Pereiro, they failed to mark him again, and a good finish was the only thing that kept the score at 0-0.

The defense against the high ball is still inept. Most goals have been conceded via a set-piece or a high looping ball. Luuk De Jong hit the post from it, and he eventually got the goal from a high ball as well.

It is a mystery how Barcelona's coach is not realising their weakness against the high ball. They can't seem to find a solution to deal with it. Whenever there is a free-kick for the opposition, Barcelona fans panic. The same case (just a better chance of conceding) when a corner is awarded.

Diego Costa scored off a corner, Luuk De Jong scored off a cross, Huesca scored two goals of a cross, and Real Sociedad scored off a free-kick combined with a header. These things have been going on for quite some time, and this would bring Barcelona's downfall against good teams like Juventus and Bayern. For that matter, even Manolas scored off a corner last year. When will Barcelona learn?

#3 Marc-Andre ter Stegen needs a rest

Let him rest and come back stronger: Marc Andre Ter Stegen
Let him rest and come back stronger: Marc Andre Ter Stegen

Ernesto Valverde's biggest mistake no doubt is failure to rotate the squad wisely. At this moment, Busquets, Stegen, Rakitic, Pique, Alba, and Messi are not well rested. The fatigue they gather now will reflect in the latter stages of the competition. Among the players, the one who needs a rest most is Barcelona's #1, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.

Marc is a great keeper, no doubt. He has the ability to play all the games in the season, and doesn't deserve to be benched. But lately, Ter Stegen is showing signs of a lack of concentration. It clearly is not because he is not good, it has to be fatigue.

Ter Stegen showed a lack of concentration throughout yesterday's game, as he misplaced a lot of passes. Being a keeper who distributes the ball with utmost perfection, it is a surprise that he completed only 52 percent passes. He is a great player with his feet, but was able to complete only 14 of his 29 attempted passes.

Against Atletico Madrid, Costa's header had no real power behind it. It was a routine save for Marc Andre Ter Stegen, going by his standards, but the ball went over his hands. Against Betis, he didn't put enough strength behind his hands as the ball went off his hands into the goal.

Being on a cold run of form, Ter Stegen deserves a day off the pitch. He needs time to regroup from the flurry of errors, and also the fatigue he is carrying. He was not included in the Nations League squad for Germany due to a shoulder stress, but Valverde played him because it wasn't serious.

With Cillessen on the bench, there is nothing to worry about even if Ter Stegen is absent.

Just give him a well-deserved rest gaffer!

#2 Ousmane Dembele and Malcom need more playing time

Raw talent has to be nurtured: Dembele
Raw talent has to be nurtured: Dembele

Ousmane Dembele has always come in clutch for Barcelona. He has scored vital goals for Barca, in spite of the heavy criticism that has come his way due to his attitude. He scored the equaliser against Atletico Madrid in a pressure situation, and he was the one who troubled PSV yesterday a lot with his pace.

He completed all of his attempted dribbles, gave three key passes, attempted four shots of which two were blocked and one was one target. Importantly, he made headway into the box before giving Lionel Messi the pass for the goal. He was dispossessed only once yesterday, which shows that he is improving.

Malcom was introduced in place of Coutinho in the 70th minute. Earlier in the Champions League, he scored Barcelona's opening goal against Inter Milan. Yesterday, he had a golden opportunity from Messi's pass but missed it agonizingly.

A 1v1 miss in knockout games would be a mistake that could haunt the team. He needs to learn a lot. He only completed 67 percent of passes yesterday, and had no dribbles.

He is a raw talent as well, and needs more time to blend into the team. Dembele's place is right wing and Malcom's place is left wing, but when Luis Suarez comes back, Valverde would most likely switch Messi to the right, and Dembele to the left.

It is easy for us to say, but still, it is only logical that young players are playing in their preferred positions than having to adjust to another position.

#1 Messi is not messing around in the Champions League

Point towards the sky Lionel, we'll always point towards you
Point towards the sky Lionel, we'll always point towards you

In his speech in the Joan Gamper Trophy match, Lionel Messi said a sentence that would give hope to every Barcelona fan in the world. He said, and I quote, "We will do what we can to bring the Champions League back to Camp Nou".

From the minute the referee blew his opening whistle against PSV on Matchday 1 to the moment he blew his whistle against PSV to end the game on Matchday 5, Messi has been relentless. He said that his team would try, and he is trying, no matter what.

He started the campaign with a perfect 10 performance against PSV with a hat-trick. He followed it up in Wembley with a brace and a mesmeric through ball for the opening goal. In the process, he earned a perfect 10 again. After he sustained the injury, he came back yesterday against PSV and saved his team again. Involved in both goals, scoring one of them.

His goal was near-fictional, to say the least. The close control of the ball, continuing the dribble and finishing with intent, it was magical. The second goal seemed another brilliant piece of skill. The free-kick perfectly bent towards Pique, who tapped in unmarked. Messi though, admitted in his press conference that the free-kick was inadvertent. Even his unintentional skill seems like a piece of genius.

He ended up with a 9.5 in yesterday's match. 4 out of 6 shots on target, one goal, one assist, 5 key passes but only 2 dribbles, although with a 100 percent success rate, this sums up Messi against PSV.

He is the joint topper in goal tally with Lewandowski, having missed two games. When Messi has played, he has contributed to 60 percent of Barcelona's goals.

He said he would try to bring the trophy back, he is not messing around. Magical.

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Edited by Anthony Akatugba Jr.