Reports of Barcelona‘s death have been greatly exaggerated.
Despite Neymar‘s departure, growing animosity towards club president Josep Maria Bartomeu, and a change in manager, Barcelona showed in a rampaging 3-0 victory over Juventus on Tuesday that it’s not done yet.
It took some time for Lionel Messi and Co. to break down the Italians’ makeshift defence, but once it caved in, the goals came easy. Messi’s movement in particular unnerved the visiting side, with his mazy runs down the middle freezing Juventus defenders.
Ernesto Valverde’s team on the whole looked like vintage Barcelona, passing with great efficiency and packing more punch while pressing. Andres Iniesta – whose future at the club, like Messi’s, remains up in the air – recaptured the attacking spirit that defined some of his best performances under Pep Guardiola. Iniesta made quick passes and navigated through tight spaces to further Barcelona’s attacking play.
The old and the new worked together as well. Ousmane Dembele‘s directness put Juventus under lots of pressure and Barcelona into dangerous scoring areas, while Messi dropped into deeper positions to collect the ball and kick-start drives forward. It was as smooth an operation as …read more