BARCELONA // Three minutes into Barcelona's 6-1 victory against AS Roma, Lionel Messi received the ball outside the area. The first cold snap of winter and increased security checks meant Camp Nou was far from full, but those present at the Camp Nou in what would swell to a 71,433 crowd had already booed Uefa's anthem before settling to see their captain return. Starting his first game in two months after a knee ligament injury, Messi curled a shot towards the Roma goal which was tipped over acrobatically by Wojciech Szczesny.
“Messi! Messi!” hollered the adoring fans who are still on a high after Saturday’s 4-0 win over Real Madrid.
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Six minutes into the game, Messi put the ball in the Roma net beneath the 3,500 travelling fans. It was offside. Two minutes later, Sergio Busquets passed a ball forward that evaded six visiting players and found Messi, who shot just wide. He was getting close.
On 13 minutes, Messi twisted past Roma’s Miralem Pjanic to more raptures. Fans were cheering even more when Luis Suarez put the Catalan side ahead after 15 minutes, tapping in a Daniel Alves assist. Messi would have to wait a further two minutes before he scored himself, timing his goal a fraction before the usual Catalan Independence chants which so irk Uefa.
Messi's goal was the culmination of a 27 pass move, the most ever in a Champions League match and finished when he played a one-two with Suarez before lifting the ball over Szczesny from the left of the area. The speed and precision of the passing mesmerised, the ball moving past all ten Roma players without one coming close to touching it. As it rolled into the net, all those Roma players looked on dumbfounded. Barca were so dominant it seemed implausible that the same two teams drew 1-1 in Rome on Matchday 1.
The Catalans were already through to the knock-out stage thanks to Bate Borisov drawing in the earlier kick-off at home to Bayer Leverkusen, but the intensity of their game didn’t falter. A win or a draw would have been good enough for them to top Group E with a game to spare, but their intent was immediate and sustained against a Roma side which stay in second. The bottom three will fight out qualification, elimination and a Europa League spot in the final game. Any sliver of hope Roma had from getting anything from Camp Nou vanished when Suarez made it 3-0 after 43 minutes, volleying in a cleared header from former Barca player Seydou Keita.
“Luis Suarez is like a magnet, he attracts positive things,” said manager Luis Enrique after. “It’s like he’s already played at Barca for ages.”
Alongside him, Messi had scored, taken three shots, made one dribble and 36 passes in the first half.
Enrique, who spent a season managing Roma, brought on highly rated youngster Sergi Samper for Busquets at half-time. Roma hadn’t lost to Barca in their three games, but they fell 4-0 down after 55 minutes when Gerard Pique, a central defender who’d been desperate to score in the Bernabeu, netted a tap in from a Messi pass after Neymar and Suarez had again been involved in the build up.
Messi got his second five minutes later to make it 5-0, with Neymar and Suarez again integral, the Uruguayan’s shot heading wide until Messi headed it past Szczesny.
Barca pushed for more and the sight of Messi tracking back to defend at 5-0 led Enrique to say:
“The three forwards defend when it’s needed, the team is aware they have to work together.”
With 14 minutes to play, Barca were awarded a penalty. Messi was on a hat-trick, Suarez too, while Neymar was yet to score. Neymar stepped up to a cheer and took two steps, but his shot was saved before substitute Adriano smashed in the return to make it 6-0.
Roma were destroyed, yet were awarded an 82nd penalty which Edin Dzeko saw saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Dzeko would get a late consolation goal that made it 6-1. It was the biggest win for a Spanish side over an Italian team in European football.
“Each player goes out to try and do what is asked of him. We played a perfect game,” said Suarez. “Leo, Neymar and myself are team players and we look to help the team. Messi is the best in the world and I am very happy for him to have scored and played the full match.”
Barca were exceptional when their best player was out injured, yet Neymar and Suarez improved without him. With their confidence increasing by the week, they realised they could beat the best without the best. Now they look untouchable with Messi back in their side.
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