Pique's header helps Barca to narrow victory against APOEL

Barca 1-0 APOEL

Barcelona started their Champions League campaign with three points against APOEL Nicosia at Camp Nou on Wednesday night, although it wasn't in the emphatic manner some may have anticipated.

It was left to Gerard Pique to score the game's only goal in a match of few clear cut chances, while at the other end Barca completed their fourth consecutive clean sheet.

There was stark contrast in Barcelona's midfield: Sergi Samper, just 19 and making his Camp Nou debut, was deployed as the deepest of three, while Xavi Hernandez, starting just in front of Samper, equalled Raul's record of 142 Champions League appearances.

It didn't scream goals, though, but that doesn't matter when the Neymar-Messi connection is beginning to gather such pace.

The South American duo combined to create Barca's first chance of note when Neymar dashed inside, feeding the ball to Messi who was hacked down in prime shooting range. Picking himself back up, his goal-bound free kick was palmed behind for a corner by former Barca B goalkeeper Urko Pardo.

APOEL were rarely venturing forward, let alone troubling their more experienced hosts, but Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who was also making his debut for the Catalans, was alert enough to head away one dangerous looking hoof forward.

A Barca goal, despite a lack of genuine openings, always seemed inevitable.

If it was a surprise to see Pique breaking the deadlock, it certainly wasn't a surprise to see Messi's left foot creating it. The Argentine's delivery demanded a goal and Pique's head obliged -- it was the fourth consecutive Barca goal created by their No. 10.

More chances came before half time. Neymar, after some fancy footwork, whooshed the ball over the bar and the Brazilian then brilliantly combined with Messi, who was denied by Pardo.

Barca continued to attack after the break, but they were inflicting little pain on their Cypriot visitors despite their heaps of possession. Neymar fluffed his lines at the far post after a pinpoint ball from Xavi, but, on the whole, APOEL were dealing with what was thrown at them with a certain degree of ease.

In fact, they may feel they should have equalised. Tomas De Vincenti demonstrated some nifty footwork of his own, but his shot was deflected over.

For all Xavi's experience and the potential of Samper and Sergi Roberto, there was a something lacking in the middle of the pitch and Andres Iniesta's introduction on the hour mark suggested Luis Enrique was experiencing the same feelings.

It didn't change a great deal though. Adriano had a half chance just inside the area, but his tame shot was limply deflected towards Pardo.

Meanwhile, APOEL were finding space on the break. Substitute Gustavo Manduca tore down the right flank, cutting the ball back to De Vincenti, only for the Argentine striker to scuff his side's best chance hopelessly wide.

Sandro Ramirez, on for Munir El Haddadi, flashed a shot wide from distance in the final minute, as the game ended with a flurry of chances.

Messi was crowded out by yellow shirts as he scuttled forward in search of a second and the same player saw his effort heroically blocked from two yards out after Neymar's shot had been saved by the legs of Pardo.

Ter Stegen had the final say, though, acrobatically keeping a Manduca curler out in stoppage time to ensure Barca's underwhelming return to European football didn't turn into a disappointing one.