By: Tadgh McGinty
Two main games went ahead last Wednesday; Barcelona went head to head with PSV Eindhoven, and PGS went on to play Liverpool. These two thriller games had so much to offer.
Barcelona Vs. PSV
Lionel Messi fired Barca ahead with his stunning sixth goal of the campaign on the hour before cleverly picking out Gerard Pique for their second on the 70th minute. PSV needed to win to keep their faint Europa League hopes alive and struck the woodwork on three occasions in the first half, but Luuk de Jong’s consolation came too late as the Dutch champions crashed out of Europe.
The victory sees Barcelona finish as group winners in the Champions League for the 12th successive season and the 20th time overall. PSV knew it was win or bust if they were to remain in Europe in the New Year, and they did everything but score in the first half.
After drawing Marc-Andre ter Stegen into a low save on four minutes, Gaston Pereiro pounced on a loose Ivan Rakitic pass on the quarter-hour and came within inches of punishing the Barcelona midfielder as he cannoned a drive against the post. Pereiro should have fired PSV into the lead midway through the half when De Jong knocked the ball into his path, and he skipped away from Pique in the area, but he fired over from yards.
Barca grew into the game as the half drew to a close as Arturo Vidal saw two efforts cleared off the line from successive corners, but PSV went even closer on the stroke of half-time as De Jong glanced a header onto the crossbar and Denzel Dumfries fired a follow-up against the post.
Barca grew into the game as the half drew to a close as Arturo Vidal saw two efforts cleared off the line from successive corners, but PSV went even closer on the stroke of half-time as De Jong glanced a header onto the crossbar and Denzel Dumfries fired a follow-up against the post. PSV were made to pay for a catalog of misses by another mesmerizing Messi effort.
After initiating an attack and receiving the ball back from Ousmane Dembele, the Argentinian weaved away from four defenders before rifling an unstoppable near-post drive past Jeroen Zoet with minimal backlift. Messi then helped put the game beyond PSV, shaping to shoot for goal from a free-kick before picking out Pique, who diverted the ball beyond Zoet from 12 yards. PSV pushed and pushed for a goal and finally broke Barca’s resolve when De Jong powered a header home from Angelino’s left-wing cross on 82 minutes, but an equalizer eluded them on a night that ultimately belonged to Messi.
PSG Vs. Liverpool
It took 13 minutes for PSG to take the lead at the Parc des Princes as Juan Bernat swept home at the near post before Neymar slotted home after Edinson Cavani’s flick was saved by Alisson. James Milner pulled a goal back for Liverpool just before the break after the visitors were given a penalty when Angel Di Maria fouled Sadio Mane in the area.
But neither side could find another goal in the second half, and Group C will go down to the final matchday in two weeks, with Liverpool needing to beat Napoli 1-0 or by two clear goals to make it into the knockout rounds. Alisson made a leaping save from a curling Di Maria effort in the sixth minute, but could not keep out PSG seven minutes later. Kylian Mbappe’s cross into the area was initially headed away by Virgil van Dijk, but the rebound fell to Bernat, who took a few strides before slotting home into the bottom corner.
The Liverpool goalkeeper was kept busy and made another fine save just after the half-hour mark. Neymar slipped Mbappe in down the left-hand side before the Frenchman crossed into the box for the incoming Cavani. But Alisson read the situation well and came out to collect the ball ahead of the striker.
But PSG doubled their lead in the 37th minute with a spellbinding breakaway. Neymar and Mbappe played a wonderful give-and-go as the Brazilian sped down the field before playing in his team-mate on the left. Mbappe once again cut the ball into the area for Cavani, whose attempt to backheel the ball home was saved by Alisson, but Neymar was waiting to tap the ball home through the legs of Andrew Robertson.
Liverpool came roaring back into the game on the stroke of half-time when they were awarded a penalty after Di Maria launched into a tackle on Mane in the area. Although referee Szymon Marciniak initially awarded a corner, he was correctly overruled by his assistants, much to the annoyance of the PSG players, and Milner stepped up to hammer home past Gianluigi Buffon and half the deficit.
PSG thought they had got a third within three minutes of the second half starting, but Marquinhos had his effort disallowed for offside. Di Maria whipped a free kick in front of the wall, which the Brazilian poked home with an outstretched foot, but the linesman correctly had his flag raised
The second half lacked the chances seen in the opening 45 minutes, but PSG saw the better efforts in front of goal and Alisson made another good save in the 70th minute. Neymar delivered a corner, and it was Marquinhos again who rose highest to meet it, but his bullet header was pushed away by the goalkeeper with Mbappe unable to net the rebound.
There were jubilant scenes from the PSG players and staff at full-time and some unwanted history for Liverpool, who have lost all three of their away group games in the Champions League for the first time.
