Lionel Messi and Neymar far too strong for sorry Ajax

Lionel Messi and Neymar far too strong for sorry Ajax

It was all too easy for Barcelona as they secured an important Champions League victory over Ajax and even managed to give goalscorers Lionel Messi and Neymar a rest ahead of the Clasico.

Barcelona’s two star players both found the net in the first half, taking the game a long way beyond the reach of a poor Ajax outfit. 

Marc-Andre ter Stegen was brought back into the side in place of record breaking Claudio Bravo, while Jeremy Mathieu was given a rest and Marc Bartra took his place. Xavi Hernandez too, dropped out, with Ivan Rakitic recalled. 

Sergio Busquets is a doubt for the Clasico and Javier Mascherano, who played in midfield against Eibar, was given license to do so again tonight. That’s no hardship for the Argentine, who, if he had his way, would be starting there each week anyway—rather than in his role as a converted defender. He was immensely comfortable tonight. 

It didn’t take long for Barcelona to open the scoring. The connection that has been the crux to a large percentage of the good play Barcelona have created this term was evidenced after just seven minutes. That’s Messi, relishing a slightly more withdrawn, creative role, and Neymar, who has clearly been working on his finishing.

A typically brilliant bit of dribbling from Messi opened up the space, he fed the Brazilian and without stopping to take a touch, he stroked the ball beyond Jasper Cillessen and into the far corner. An outstanding strike and one which bought Luis Enrique’s side some breathing room. 

The game settled down and Ajax began to see more of the ball, but didn’t once threaten Ter Stegen’s goal, before Messi doubled Barcelona’s lead in the 24th minute. Andres Iniesta played a masterful through-ball and Messi stabbed it at goal. Cillessen should have kept it out but only succeeded in palming it into the net. For future reference, players like Messi don’t need any help to score. 

It should have been three moments later, but when Messi fed Pedro in an almost carbon-copy of his pass for Neymar’s opener, the Canary Islander hit the outside of the far post with his own curled effort. Iniesta could have scored himself too, bursting into the box through a crowd of defenders, but seeing Cillessen save his chipped effort. 

Messi, warming up in some style for the Clasico, nearly scored again after the restart. He fed Pedro, whose effort was smothered by the defence, but Messi pounced, zigged left, zagged right and then rammed an effort into the side-netting

The first time that Ajax looked like scoring was when Gerard Pique hiked the ball onto the roof of his own net when he went to clear a cross. Ter Stegen punched the resulting corner clear with more confidence than he had displayed against Paris Saint Germain, Barcelona’s only defeat this season thus far. 

By the 66th minute both Neymar and Messi had made way for Sandro Ramirez and Munir El Haddadi respectively, with Enrique looking to protect both ahead of Saturday’s showdown with Real Madrid. 

This game had just seemed like a distraction ahead of that monster showdown and Barcelona needed to do a professional job here to keep their Champions League hopes in good stead. They managed it for 88 minutes, but then El Ghazi netted from close range after a scramble in the box. 

Another goal for the Dutch side was not forthcoming and with a late drilled strike for Sandro to make the game safe again, Barcelona go into El Clasico with the wind in their sails, although they have now conceded their first goal at Camp Nou this season.