Barcelona vs. Roma: Score and Reaction from 2015 Champions League Match

Lionel Messi returned from injury to inspire Barcelona to a 6-1 win over AS Roma in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday at the Camp Nou. In the process, Barca qualified for the knockout phase with one game to spare.      

Last season's winners were rampant. Messi and Co. tore the Serie A outfit apart. Luis Suarez opened the scoring before Messi got in on the act after nearly two months out.

Another goal apiece for Suarez and Messi, along with strikes from centre-back Gerard Pique and Adriano wrapped up the rout. Edin Dzeko grabbed a late one for the visitors in stoppage time.

The Argentinian master's return was the focal point of the team news. Messi joined Suarez and Neymar Jr. to reunite Barca's deadly, three-pronged forward line that dominated this tournament last season.

The competition's official Twitter feed detailed the holder's full XI:

Roma countered with on-loan Arsenal stopper Wojciech Szczesny between the sticks and ex-Manchester City target man Dzeko up front. Here's the full team that also included classy midfield playmaker Miralem Pjanic:

Predictably, Barca started brightest. Messi had a goal ruled out for offside after Suarez was penalised during the buildup. Barca's magical No. 10 then wasted a promising one-on-one by placing his side-foot finish just past Szczesny's post.

The hosts were punishing Roma manager Rudi Garcia's risky high-line tactics.

Yet for all the space they were conceding, the Italian club should have gone in front. Dzeko, often a menace in the air, wasted a terrific header from a corner. He'd easily gotten the jump on former Arsenal man Thomas Vermaelen but couldn't head the ball down.

Suarez soon made Dzeko curse his wayward radar. The goal continued the mercurial Uruguayan's terrific run in this year's tournament:

BT Sport pundit Steven Gerrard, a former teammate of Suarez at Liverpool, lauded the striker's progress since moving to the Camp Nou, per BT Sport Football Twitter:

But Messi has always been a cut above even a football genius like Suarez. He put the finishing touch on a flowing move that incorporated all 10 outfield players.

Here's the highlight of Messi's scoring return, courtesy of BT Sport:

Suarez treated the crowd to a moment of brilliance just before the break. He caught a volley superbly after a scramble from a corner. No more words needed—just watch:

Pique added a fourth shortly into the second half. Barca manager Luis Enrique then took the chance to introduce some talented youngsters. He brought on Sergi Samper and Marc Bartra.

Messi got his second when Neymar curled a ball in after an ingenious touch out wide. Suarez fluffed his lines but found Messi on hand to pounce.

Another curler—this one a shot that sailed wide—denied Neymar the goal his extravagant display of flair deserved. Not even a penalty could get the ex-Santos man on the sheet. His spot-kick was saved, but fellow Brazilian Adriano thundered in the rebound.

Dzeko's nightmare night continued when he was denied from the spot, meaning Roma missed out on the slightest of consolations. The Bosnian eventually got his consolation with the game's final kick.

Post-Match Reaction

Understandably, Messi was relieved to finally experience his first competitive action in a long while:

His strike partner, Suarez, hailed the quality of the performance, according to the club's official Twitter account:

By contrast, Enrique stressed the necessity to keep pushing for even better performances, per the club's official site: “Surely we can improve a lot of things. In a sport as complex as football, there’s always room for improvement. We’re at a good moment and we have to take maximum advantage.”

It's an interesting take from Enrique, one that perhaps explains Barca's consistent success. When you produce six goals amid a flurry of breathtaking football but still demand more, you have an attitude that's going to take a team of ultra-talented players far.

That's Enrique's job in a nutshell. He has to make sure his contingent of world-class stars never start to believe things are coming too easy for them.

Contrast Enrique's words with those of his Roma counterpart. Garcia actually felt a 6-1 thumping was the best his team could hope for on the night, according to Football Italia Twitter:

Meanwhile, Szczesny thought Barca had it too easy:

Frankly, Garcia has turned underachievement into a speciality since moving to the Italian capital. His words don't do him, nor his club, credit.

Enrique's men have delivered an ominous warning about their credentials for repeating last season's success. In Messi, Neymar and Suarez they boast three world-class match-winners, all in inspired form.

Add a typically confident possession game, and Barca remain the team to beat.