Barça suffer before coming from behind to beat Gladbach in Germany

Barça suffer before coming from behind to beat Gladbach in Germany

Barcelona produced a champions performance as they came from behind to pick up a vital 2-1 win in Germany against Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League. The hosts had taken the lead in the first half through Thorgan Hazard, but Barça fought back after the break thanks to goals from Arda Turan and Gerard Pique. 

With Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City drawing 3-3 with Celtic in Glasgow, Barça now boast a two point lead at the top of Group C. Next up they host City at Camp Nou, before traveling to England at the beginning of November to complete the double header against the Premier League leaders. 

Barça started well against Monchengladbach, with Neymar dropping deep and looking to take on more importance in Lionel Messi’s continued absence, but there was a spark missing. Luis Enrique had chosen Paco Alcacer in Messi’s place, but it was Neymar and Luis Suarez who posed the biggest threat. Both men missed early chances. 

The home side grew into the game, though, and began to frustrate Neymar. And it was not a huge surprise when they took the lead. They’d begun to look more threatening on the break and when the impressive Mahmoud Dahoud dispossessed Sergio Busquets the Catalan side were exposed at the back. Dahoud exchanged passes with Raffael, before creating a tap in for Eden Hazard’s brother Thorgan. 

It didn’t take long for Luis Enrique to react after the break. He withdrew the quiet Alcacer and replaced him with Rafinha. Soon after, Ivan Rakitic, who’d just tested Yann Sommer from range, was withdrawn for Arda. The changes soon made a difference. Neymar threaded a pass behind the Gladbach defence and Arda thumped home from a difficult angle having stayed onside. All level. 

An open game was now flowing from end to end. Barça were going for the win but they looked like they could still be got at defensively. Both Pique and Javier Mascherano were booked for cynical challenges which killed potential counters. 

The Blaugrana were the side most likely to score again, though, and they did, albeit from an unlikely source. Suarez dropped to the edge of the box at a corner and no-one when with him. Neymar picked him out and the Uruguayan’s strike was parried by Sommer. Ready and waiting was Pique, the centre-back poking the ball over the line at the second attempt.