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Ousmane Dembélé and Lionel Messi hit the mark as Barcelona recovered from their Classic defeat Real Madrid with a 2-0 win over Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday. Dembélé opened the scoring in the first half with a deflected effort from afar and Messi sealed the three points with a late penalty after Ansu Fati was fouled in the area.
Álvaro Morata had three goals disallowed for offside for Juve, who finished the game with 10 men after Merih Demiral’s red card in the 85th minute. A day after the resignation of President Josep Maria Bartomeu, this was a step important and very necessary in the right direction for Barça.
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Positive
Pedri was an unexpected starter in the Classic over the weekend, but this felt like the game when it was actually announced to the world. In this demonstration, the 17-year-old forward will have an important role to play for Ronald Koeman’s team this season.
Dembélé’s goal, the second in a week, will also serve as a major confidence boost for the Frenchman. Now you just need to stay in shape.
Barça now has six points in two Champions League games and will support each other to make the round of 16 from here. With a doubleheader against Dynamo Kiev and then an away game against Ferencvaros, they should have things closed before taking on Juve at the Camp Nou in their final match.
Highlights
- The president and the executive board of Barcelona resign, Dest and Araujo offer hope for the future of BarcelonaBartomeu: Barça accepts the Euro Super League
2 Related negatives
Barça lost Ronald Araujo through injury to leave Gerard Piqué and Clement Lenglet without cover in the middle of the defense. Samuel Umtiti is also injured and with Piqué suspended here, Frenkie de Jong had to replace the central defender. Araujo will undergo tests for a thigh problem on Thursday.
Another minor complaint is that this game could have ended earlier. Messi, Dembélé and Antoine Griezmann were guilty of wasting chances and Barça need to improve their efficiency in the face of goal.
Manager rating out of 10
7 – Koeman beat Andrea Pirlo in this clash between two of the most important teams in Europe. Choosing Pedri and Dembele turned out to be a masterstroke.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players submitted after 70 minutes are not rated)
Net GK, 6 – Morata had three goals ruled out by VAR but the goalkeeper had little to do in terms of actual saves against his former club.
DF Sergi Roberto, 6 – A reliable performance on the right back but hard to believe he did enough to get back ahead of Sergino Dest in the pecking order.
DF Ronald Araujo, 6 – The young Uruguayan did not look out of place at this level before injuring himself at the end of the first half.
DF Clemente Lenglet, 6 – Without Piqué, he led the four behind. He defended himself well and passed out from behind under pressure in impressive fashion.
DF Jordi Alba, 6 – He got into good positions but was a bit erratic. He threw a great opportunity on the bar.
MF Miralem Pjanic, 6 years old – He gave the ball a lot early on, and in dangerous areas, but you can see what he will add to this side when he is fully fit. Much more mobile and active than Sergio Busquets.
MF Frenkie de Jong, 7 – He completed the center-back position in the second half and did a good job alongside Lenglet.
Young Pedri was extremely impressive on Wednesday, looking calm and comfortable on a big occasion. Photo by Tullio Puglia – UEFA / UEFA via Getty Images
FW Ousmane Dembele, 7 – He scored the opening goal and grew in confidence after that. A joy to watch when he sprints with the ball, although his decision making in the final third still needs some work.
FW Antoine Griezmann, 7 – He had some nice moments, including a back heel pass to open up an opportunity for Messi, but once again he found himself wanting to score. He hit the wood early on and missed a good chance in the second half.
FW Pedri, 8 – It already seems like a bargain of 5 million euros. With his touch, technique and deception, he gave Juan Cuadrado a torrid evening for the Barça left.
DEL Lionel Messi, 8 – He connected well with the rest of the members of the Barça attack and would have had several assists if his teammates had finished better. He scored his third goal of the season at the end of the season, but is still waiting for his first since open play.
Substitutions
MF Sergio Busquets, 6 – He came in instead of the injured Araujo, swapped positions with De Jong and helped Barça put pressure on top of the pitch.
FW Ansu Fati, N / R – He was introduced late, but still found time to win a penalty.
DF Junior Firpo, N / R – He replaced Griezmann in the 89th minute.
FW Martin Braithwaite, N / A – Koeman brought him in in injury time after Barça already pocketed the second goal.
Source: espn.co.uk
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