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Messi masterminds Barca win

By
SETANTA SPORTS,

Published Wednesday, April 8, 2009, 5:29 PM
Updated Thursday, July 23, 2009, 5:43 PM

 

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Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring the first goal
Photo by EMPICS Sport/PA Photos

A first-half demolition job from Barcelona – orchestrated by Lionel Messi – saw the Spanish league leaders establish a 4-0 Champions League quarterfinal lead after a first-leg mauling of Bayern Munich at Camp Nou on Wednesday evening.

Scoring two and having a direct hand in goals for Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry, the Argentinean playmaker further cemented the regard in which he is held by the footballing world as the greatest player at the moment with a display that capped an all-round masterful team performance.

Bayern looked majestic in their dismantling of Sporting in the last round, pumping 12 goals over two legs past the Portuguese side. Coming up against a Barca side in this form and pomp made them look positively amateur, and belittled and discredited their last-16 triumph in the process as they were well and truly given the run-around in Catalonia.

Within six minutes it became apparent that Barca were going to control this game when Henry had a chance cleared off the line, as he latched onto Andres Iniesta’s cute pass that sliced the Bayern defense. With Hans-Jorg Butt rounded, the former Arsenal man’s off-balance finish was blocked by Martin Demichelis but it was a brief reprieve for Jurgen Klinsmann’s side.

After just nine minutes – in which Barca had already carved a few openings with their characteristically delightful angled passes – Messi opened the scoring. Eto’o managed to help the ball on to the Argentinean maestro, whose first touch was only bettered by his cool finish. 1-0 – slick.

Three minutes later the roles were reversed as Messi ran in off the right wing and threaded a marvelous pass against the grain of his run while looking the other way. It was reminiscent of Ronaldinho in his Camp Nou prime, and Eto’o’s finish was, well, just pure Eto’o. With the ball slotted successfully under Butt from a tight angle it was 2-0. Classy.

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