Messi Is Back! Five Things We Learned From Barca's First Champions League Match.

 

Yah! The UEFA Champions League is back. It's what we have
all been waiting for a while now since UEFA first announced
the Group Stages earlier.
FC Barcelona played their first Champions League of the
2020/2021 season against new minnows, Ferencvaros from
Hungary. Expectedly, Koeman relegated Griezmann to the
bench and started Trincao instead.
Here are five things we learned from the match:
1) Lionel Messi is Still The Best Dribbler In the World.
Messi dribbled all night. It was like Messi came out for the
game with a certain number of dribbles to complete in the
match against Ferencvaros. Messi's dribble was also what
generated the penalty kick.
After going past a few Ferencvaros players, Messi was tripped
inside the penalty box. He converted it and gave Barca the
lead they needed to boost their moral after losing to Getafe on
Saturday.
The goal will be one of the flurry of goals that will later make
the final scoreline 5 - 1 in favour of Barca.
2) Barca Is still Not defensively solid.
Before Barca got their first goal of the game, it's safe to say
that Ferencvaros got he better chances of the opening
minutes. Honestly, they have their strikers to blame for not at
least scoring one of their chances.
It was obvious that Barca defense is still not solid as we would
want, and something may need to be done about it. Against a
more ruthless opponent, the chances allowed by Barca
defenders against Ferencvaros would be smiling in the back of
the net. Ask Bayern Munich!
3) Dembele repays faith in him.
I am happy Dembele made use of his opportunity last night,
providing an assist and also getting an assist from Messi to
score himself.
It could be easily seen from the smile in his face. Albeit still
rusty from a long injury layoff, a goal and an assist isn't a bad
night in a Champions League match.
4) Watch Out For Pedri, Ansu.
Pedri was reported saying that he is going to to make
selection difficult for the coach, and he is right.
The 17yrs old forward took the field last night, and was the
beneficiary of a hard fought Dembele assist, slotting the ball in
into far right back of the net. Pedri continued his fine form
from the match against Getafe, in which he was one of the
bright spots of the ill fated defeat.
Ansu Fati is now a regular goalscorer at the moment it would
seem. Ansu continued his fine goalscoring form against
Ferencvaros, and has now opened his Champions League
goalscoring exploits for the season.
5) Messi makes Champions League history.
Messi became the first player to score Champions League
goals in 16 straight Champions League seasons.
Also, Messi extended the teams he has scored against in the
Champions League to 36 .
Well, he is Messi!
I think it was a good match, and a perfect test for the El
Classico coming up this weekend. We hope the boys can
replicate the same success against their nemesis, Real
Madrid.