PBP: UEFA Champions League - Matchday 2 | Tottenham v FC Barcelona | 3 October 2018 [R]

Grande Leo. Grande equipo!!! 👏👏👏

— Carles Puyol (@Carles5puyol) October 3, 2018

 

Alba became today the second defender in CL history to give 3 assists in a single game ( first defender who achieved this was Lahm for Bayern against french side Lille)

 

Does that include assisting Spurs' second goal?

 

messi has scored 22 goals vs pl teams, also as much as harry kane goal scored at wemley this season, 2 goals.
but he cant play at pl

 

Plus Vertonghen and Aurier

 

can we play like this at liga

 

As I expected, we conceided 2 goals. I know both of their goals were quality but still... I thibk we could be in big trouble at KO stage if defending isnt getting better. Great game overall, great finishis by Messi, Coutinho & Rakitic and the built up were also vintage Barca.

 

Comments on Messi’s performance from tonight (although a little exaggerated, but gives an idea of what sort of performance he gave today):

“I'm sorry but can we talk about Lionel Messi please?

Tonight's performance at Wembley was probably the greatest individual display we've ever seen. Ran the show from minute one and orchestrated everything.”

————

“The day Messi retires, the ball will cry for him.....a long, long weeping wail and cry.”

———

“You may as well cancel football when Lionel Messi retires. It doesn't get any better than him.”

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“Today, Messi was Xavi, Pirlo, Iniesta, Zidane — plus Platini, Zico, Maradona — plus Ronaldo Fenomeno, Pele, Di Stefano — and better than all of them.”

 

Huh, Lenglet deflected it or MAtS might've saved that goal, but Tottenham had at least two passes to Lamela - first sent in from a Spur on the wing to Son - which Alba or someone may have nearly blocked, then Son to Lamela, not sure where Alba's assist is there.

 

Lenglet looked good, unlucky with that deflection. Arthur looked good. the team looks better in the 4-4-2.
Semedo still not convincing. Suarez still not scoring but still very influential. Messi unlucky not to have another hat-trick. Rakitic with another one of his sideways passes into the net. I'd like to see Dembele and Messi tested out as a front two.

 

i dont think so. they could have marked messi if suarez hadnt been there. he created enough space and time for messi to finish. that is team work+individual attack awareness.

 

completely agree about Suarez, not being critical of him.

just saying that if Valverde does stick with the 4-4-2 more often, I'd like to see what a front two of Dembele-Messi would look like. we need a better alternative than Munir and not sure Valverde trusts Dembele to play in a midfield-4.

Still a big fan of Suarez and even if he is slowing down with age, his intelligence adds so much to the team. but his days are numbered and i don't think he should play every minute of every game.

 

Boss

1 - Sergio Busquets completed all of his 67 passes against Tottenham, his best tally in a Champions League game with a 100% of passing accuracy. Tempo. pic.twitter.com/nbxiZC4S17

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) October 3, 2018

 

Probably the most underrated player of his generation.

 

Messi is the GOAT but I agree with you that Tottenham gave him alot of space. He took advantage of that and should have had another goal or so. Still last night two goals were gifted by sloppy Tottenham play and they scored a lucky one and at 3-2 the team looked shaken and Tottenham came close to equalising. EV still annoyed me with waiting to 82 and 85th to bring in fresh legs.

 

That's like saying Pogba and Mbappe never scored a great goal in World cup final because the defenders werent closing the gap or marking them. Great player capitalize from opponent smallest mistake, simply as that. They see chances, they create and scores from it.

Saying it wasnt great performance would be the same as saying his goal against Bayern wasnt great because Boating didnt mark him well.

 

So true .... things may have been so different if that PEEKABOO incident hadn't happened ...

 

It was a great strike for sure but I still wouldn't have him starting . I'd use him as a 60 minute sub when we are in front and things need tightening up and slowing down ..

 

The funny thing is that the official UEFA site didn't include him in the best 11 players in the second round of the CL