Messi magic should lead Barca to Champions League final but expect Real Madrid to fight back

In this week's column, Diego Forlan offers his thoughts on the Uefa Champions League semi-final first legs.

Lionel Messi, centre, was at his remarkable best to lead Barcelona to victory over Bayern Munich. Lluis Gene / AFP

Like the rest of the football world, I was mesmerised by the two Uefa Champions League semi-finals.

Football can disappoint when anticipation is highest, but the games in Turin and Barcelona were incredible.

I woke up early to watch them only to find my father, who has come to visit in Japan, was already up watching.

Barcelona versus Bayern Munich was one of the best games of football of the year. Bayern without Frank Ribery and Arjen Robben are not Bayern at their best because of the pace and width those two give the team.

It is true also that Lionel Messi is incredible, but while the headlines are about Messi and Neymar for scoring the goals in the 3-0 win, my friend Luis Suarez should not be forgotten.

After a slow start in Spain because of his ban, he has had an exceptionally good first season at Barcelona. He has fitted in with the great players around him and made the team larger because he goes deep so often. That expands Barca’s attack; it makes it harder for opponents to mark their players because they are being pulled around.

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Luis joined the right club at the right time. He is better than he has ever been as a player, so that is right, and because he has Messi and Neymar alongside him. They help him a lot.

Had he joined three years ago maybe he would not have started every week and, had he joined two or three years ago, he would have found Barça in transition — they were beaten 7-0 on aggregate by Bayern when they last met. Not now and I’m not surprised by his success. I know him well and know how good he is.

I have seen people say he has been more successful than David Villa and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Barça’s attack. Short ­memories. I can remember both of those players being stars at Barça and Villa won the European Cup.

Luis Enrique’s Barça team have yet to win anything, but it is obvious they are in great shape, good enough to win the treble of the European Cup, Copa del Rey and Primera Liga.

Unusually for a team at Camp Nou, Bayern matched Barcelona for possession but then they were blown away by those late goals.

Before that, I could not believe how they started with three defenders man marking the three strikers. They quickly changed, but you could see that Bayern were talented enough to attack Barça, even without their best wide men.

Guardiola did not blame injuries but he knew some of his best players were out and you miss that game changing talent.

Imagine Barça without Messi — a great team but without their main game-changer? Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery are not at Messi’s level, but they can influence matches at the highest level.

It will be very, very difficult for Bayern Munich to progress to the final now, even with their players back, because if you give Barça a chance they will take it.

If Bayern can score early in Munich and Barça have a bad day then it will be as engaging as the game on Wednesday, but I fear that third goal killed them.

Before that, the sight of Jerome Boateng falling back made me feel sorry for a fine defender.

But what can anyone do when Messi is running at you and you don’t know whether he is going to go right or left? Football can be cruel at times, but what a goal from Messi.

Real Madrid favourites

Juventus were impressive in the other semi. They defended and attacked well to win 2-1, but I still think Madrid, with the away goal, are favourites.

They have better players and a better team and if James Rodriguez had scored with the header that hit the post I would be certain Madrid were going through.

Gareth Bale was criticised for his performance. That was harsh. He is just back from injury and every player needs a couple of games to get back to top form. You cannot just click back into being your best in a Champions League semi-final.

Several of the Juventus players were excellent. Carlos Tevez, who scored a penalty to make it 2-1, is playing well and his side are especially dangerous on the counter attack and set pieces.

Juve have a mix of youth and experience and they are the stand out Italian side after some tough years.

The stadium move has been a huge success for them and they have won four successive titles after nothing for nine years. They were even relegated in 2006.

They have gone from attracting small crowds in the unpopular Delle Alpi to selling out every game in the smaller remodelled stadium.

I really like Andrea Pirlo, too — and not just because he was born on the same day as me.

He remains the key player, never loses the ball, takes free kicks and controls the tempo of the game. He never has a bad game, it is always seven or eight — or five or six in Italy where they mark much harder.

Martin Caceres, my compatriot, may be injured, but he is a fast and versatile defender.

Arturo Vidal, who you see all over the pitch and scoring goals, plus Paul Pogba are key attacking players.

There is a buzz about Juventus and their coach Massimiliano Allegri has taken a good team built by Antonio Conte, did not change things, but continued with the winning rhythm.

I can’t wait for a probable first Barcelona v Real Madrid final, but first we have the second semi-finals to look forward to next week.

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