UEFA Champions League: Barcelona 3-0 Liverpool; 4 key battles that decided the game

While a 3-0 loss is not the most flattering result for Liverpool given how they were in the contest for most of the way on their visit to the Camp Nou, it is by no means undeserved for Barcelona. The hosts were clearly the more clinical of the two sides and will take a handsome lead to the Kop when the sides meet next week.

Quite fittingly, Luis Suarez opened the scoring for Barcelona in the first half with his first goal of this year's Champions League campaign after a pass and a half from Jordi Alba. A dominating presence from Liverpool in the second half in search of the equalizer opened them up to a counter that resulted in some painful ball watching by their own defenders as Lionel Messi tapped in the second.

The tie was put to rest with one final nail in the coffin, in the form of a picture-perfect freekick from Messi once again, and all Jurgen Klopp could do was shake his head and smile in disbelief.

Here's a look at 4 individual battles that came a long way in deciding the final outcome of the game:

#1 Lionel Messi vs Fabinho

Sometimes all you can do against him is nothing

While this might not have been the battle many expected to see before the start of the encounter, it was the one that ultimately came to sealing the result of the tie.

Seeing that Messi spent the most of the match in and around the center circle, either playing as the quarterback for Coutinho and Suarez just behind them, or as a link-up for Alba or Roberto to break off from the wings, it was natural that a lot rested on how Liverpool's central defensive midfielder dealt with him. Despite Fabinho not doing a job too shabby with it, there was simply too much to handle for him.

Liverpool went about their task of keeping Messi quiet by doubling up on him, tripling on him when necessary and at one or two moments in the game, even going as far as employing 5 different players to keep him away from goal. Fabinho was the most physical of the players trying to stop him, and even got himself booked for a rash challenge on the Argentinian.

In the end, it simply wasn't enough. Messi completed 9 dribbles through the course of the entire game, and Fabinho was dribbled past 6 times. Even Fabinho's 3 interceptions and 2 tackles on the night were not good enough to rescue his side.

#2 Gerard Pique vs Sadio Mane

With no Firmino in the side, the onus was on Sadio Mane to do all the hard work in front of goal for the visitors, and the in-form Senegalese almost did it for them. And he would have done it, if not for a certain meddling Spanish central defender.

This was the earliest of individual battles to adorn the tie, with an early penalty shout against Gerard Pique in the first half when he allegedly pushed the Liverpool forward to the ground. The referee, however, was having none of it and Barcelona survived an early scare.

Despite his relatively short stature, Mane has a knack for winning headers, and it was one of the early tactics used by Liverpool to exploit the Barca defense. Only, Pique was up to the task and matched Mane in the aerial tackles won section with two apiece.

In fact, the only moment when the striker got the advantage of Pique was from a long ball that opened the Catalan defenses in the first half, but the shot flew into the stands without threatening anyone.

#3 Arturo Vidal vs Andy Robertson

Vidal and Robertson fighting for the ball, but we know only one of them is going to get it

This battle, in all likelihood, should have been between Robertson on the left wing and Sergi Roberto at right back, but it is to Vidal's credit that he managed to nullify the Scot's attacking presence on the field.

It was quite obvious early on that Barcelona were going to struggle defensively on the right with Robertson and Mane doubling up down the flank, and it is only thanks to Vidal's defensive prowess that they did not pay the price.

Messi might be the Man of the Match, but it was Vidal who was the most influential player for Barcelona on the night, as he found himself all over the pitch, winning balls he had no business of winning and stopping balls that he should not have gotten near to. He ended the night with 5 tackles as against Robertson's 4, and 2 interceptions to his name.

#4 Ernesto Valverde vs Jurgen Klopp

He might not show it often, but this is the face of a man who fully knew what he was doing

The battle behind the screens, this is a battle not many expected Barcelona to win. It really goes to show how far away from the know internet armchair experts are, when it comes to judging tactics.

It is generally agreed upon that Valverde is not the shrewdest when it comes to things like this, while Jurgen Klopp is widely considered one of the sharpest in the modern game. Seeing this game, however, you wouldn't be so sure.

Klopp started the game with Joe Gomez in the team on the right back instead of Trent Alexander-Arnold, possibly because Gomez is the more defensive player of the two and he wanted to solidify his team's defensive play. But what happened was that Liverpool sorely missed TAA's attacking crosses in the game, as time and again they saw Gomez's futile attempts into the box nodded away with impunity.

Valverde's subbing off of Coutinho for Nelson Semedo was also something off a masterstroke. He sensed that Lenglet was having a hard time fending off Mohamed Salah alone, and used a defensive option in the form of Semedo to nullify Salah's pace on the ball as well as to exploit Gomez on the right.

A 3-0 result definitely does not do justice to how Liverpool played through the night, and they will still think they have a way into the tie during the home leg. A lot of that will depend on how they set up, and if it is anything like this, the going will be tough.

Edited by Kaushik Das