Barcelona vs. PSG: Score, Grades and Reaction from Champions League Game
Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez scored once each as Barcelona came from behind to defeat Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 on Wednesday at the Camp Nou and finish atop UEFA Champions League Group F.
Lionel Messi and Neymar netted in the first half to cancel out Zlatan Ibrahimovic's opener for PSG. Luis Suarez then sealed the points with Barcelona's third goal 13 minutes from time.
Both teams had already qualified for the Champions League knockout stages before Matchday 6, meaning Wednesday's game determined only the winner of the group. After finishing atop Group F with 15 points from a possible 18, Barcelona will enter the draw for the knockout stage as a seeded side.
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PSG, who finished the group stage with 13 points, will be unseeded in the draw and could face group winners like Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the round of 16.
Barcelona will now return their attention to La Liga, where they currently sit in second place, two points behind leaders Real Madrid. The Blaugrana play at Getafe on Saturday.
Although manager Luis Enrique will be pleased with his side's progress as group champions, some concerns will remain over the team's ability to defend. Ibrahimovic, a former Barca player, opened the scoring in the 15th minute with PSG's first real attack of the game, and the visitors created several more chances in each half.
Up next for PSG, who are currently second in France's Ligue 1, is a trip to Guingamp on Sunday.
Within moments of kick-off, Barcelona had settled quickly into their possession-based attack as PSG defended in numbers. But chances were scarce for the hosts in the first 10 minutes, Messi curling a free-kick off target in the fourth minute with his side's only opening.
After defending well in the opening stages, PSG took the lead in the 15th minute with their first chance of the match. Lucas Moura started the move with a cross from the right, picking out Blaise Matuidi in the middle of the box. With his back to goal, Matuidi laid off a cushioned pass for Ibrahimovic, who finished first-time at the near post.
Barcelona and Messi promptly drew level four minutes later. Javier Mascherano sliced open the PSG defence with a fine pass over the top. Chasing down the ball near the byline to the left side of goal, Luis Suarez bounced a cross-shot to the back post, where Messi slammed in for the equaliser.
PSG had a good chance in the 31st minute as Ibrahimovic escaped behind the defence down Barcelona's left side following a long ball from PSG's half. The Swede held up play on the flank, spotted Edinson Cavani's late run and lofted a cross for the Uruguayan attacker. Cavani directed a low volley on target, but Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved at his right-hand post.
Barcelona had the next chance in the 39th minute. Latching onto a loose ball in PSG's box, Suarez hit a snap shot on target, forcing PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu into a fine reaction save.
Sirigu was powerless to stop the next chance as Neymar gave Barcelona the lead with a wonderstrike four minutes before half-time. The sequence started as Andres Iniesta won the ball in midfield and passed to Neymar near the centre circle. The Brazilian immediately bore down on goal, driving at the PSG defence before curling an unstoppable shot past Sirigu from all of 30 yards.
Both sides continued to create chances early in the second half. In the 50th minute, Messi led a swift counter into PSG's territory, drawing defenders to himself before laying off for Pedro on the right. Pedro had time to pick his spot but hit an aimless ball across the face of goal.
One minute later, the hosts had to defend desperately to keep PSG out. First, Ter Stegen stopped Moura from close range after the Brazilian had worked himself free on the right. Then, Marc Bartra cleared off the line to stop Cavani on the rebound.
For all the chances, though, the next goal didn't come until the 77th minute. Xavi Hernandez, who had entered as a substitute for Barca moments earlier, set up Neymar with a pass to the left flank. Neymar forced Sirigu into a save with his first-time shot, and Suarez fired in the rebound.
Leading 3-1, Barcelona were finally in full control. The hosts' third goal seemed to kill off PSG, who rarely threatened thereafter. In fact, the best opening of the closing stages belonged to Messi, who blazed a curling effort narrowly wide in the 89th minute.
Grades
| Marc-Andre ter Stegen | 6.9 |
| Gerard Pique | 7.4 |
| Marc Bartra | 8.3 |
| Javier Mascherano | 6.7 |
| Jeremy Mathieu | 6.6 |
| Andres Iniesta | 6.8 |
| Sergio Busquets | 7.2 |
| Pedro | 6.0 |
| Neymar | 7.6 |
| Luis Suarez | 8.0 |
| Lionel Messi | 8.0 |
| Ivan Rakitic (for Pedro, 68') | 6.0 |
| Xavi (for Iniesta, 73') | 6.1 |
| Adriano (for Bartra, 90') | No rating |
| Salvatore Sirigu | 7.0 |
| Gregory van der Wiel | 6.0 |
| Thiago Silva | 6.6 |
| David Luiz | 6.5 |
| Maxwell | 6.7 |
| Marco Verratti | 7.3 |
| Thiago Motta | 6.3 |
| Blaise Matuidi | 7.7 |
| Lucas Moura | 8.1 |
| Edinson Cavani | 6.3 |
| Zlatan Ibrahimovic | 7.0 |
| Javier Pastore (for Verratti, 62') | 6.6 |
| Ezequiel Lavezzi (for Matuidi, 75') | 6.2 |
Reaction
"Luis Enrique:; "Our goal was to win the group, now we'll have to wait to see what the draw brings on Monday." #fcblive
— barcastuff (@barcastuff) December 10, 2014"
