Barcelona 5-1 (5-1 on agg.) Lyon
Barcelona destroyed Lyon tonight and romped into the quarter-finals of the Champions League with another world-class display from Lionel Messi.
Ernesto Valverde’s team swept Bruno Genesio’s Gones aside as Messi scored two and made two. And after a tumultuous week of football, the Champions League 2019 betting markets have installed Manchester City, Juventus, and now Barcelona as likely winners.
The quarter-finals are sure to be a treat for SBOBET football fans, and we’ll be there every step of the way.
Highlights of the game
This was the first time Lyon had appeared in the knockout phase of the Champions League in seven years, and they knew they were in for a tough task to preserve any chance of progressing. As early as the fourth minute, keeper Anthony Lopes made a brilliant save to deny Messi’s curling effort that was destined for the roof of the net.
The French side had a chance of their own with a fine try from Tanguy Ndombele as his shot from over 20 yards fizzed narrowly wide. Soon enough, Lopes was called on again to steal the ball from Messi as the Argentine looked to take it around him. But the keeper’s good work was undone on 18 minutes when he faced a penalty.
Jason Denayer put in a daft challenge on Luis Suarez which felled the striker, and Messi cleverly chipped the spot-kick down the centre of the goal as Lopes dived.
Minutes later, the keeper clashed accidentally with Philippe Coutinho and had a lengthy treatment to a head injury, but was fit to carry on.
Lyon had a big chance to equalise when Memphis Depay crossed for Moussa Dembele, but the former Fulham man fired wide from a great position. And he regretted that on the half-hour when the Blaugrana doubled their lead. Suarez expertly evaded a challenge before cutting the ball back for Philippe Coutinho who passed it into the net. That was the last action poor Lopes saw as Genesio wasn’t prepared to take any risks with his injured keeper, and he was replaced by Mathieu Gorgelin.
Attacking midfielder Nabil Fekir returned to the Lyon side after suspension, and he had plenty to prove against arguably the best player in the world. But he had been largely anonymous in a first half dominated by the hosts.
Messi almost made it three, minutes after the break, but his effort was cleared off the line. Lyon had a lifeline when Depay picked up the ball from a corner and crossed for Lucas Tousart to volley home from close range. Genesio’s men could sniff a chance, and Fekir got into the game, crossing for Fernando Marcal that was headed wide.
But with ten minutes to go, it was game over. It was that man Messi who sealed the deal, running at the Lyon defence and beating Denayer before shooting into the bottom corner.
The genius Messi still had time to set up another goal, driving at the defence and crossing for Gerard Pique to make it four. And that wasn’t it! Ousmane Dembele scored the fifth on 87 minutes, Messi again the provider.
Key statistics
On another great night at the Camp Nou, Barca reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the 12th season on the run.
And the Catalans have won 27 of 30 home games in the Champions League while being the first team to beat Lyon. But the French team has lost six of their last seven encounters in the Round of 16.
But the most amazing statistic of all is that Messi has now scored over 35 goals, in all competitions, for Barcelona in 11 consecutive seasons. He’s in the form of his life.
What’s next?
While Real Madrid crashed out of the Champions League last week, it was a Los Blancos old boy who saved Juventus from a similar fate: Cristiano Ronaldo fired a hat-trick against Atletico Madrid to see the Bianconeri safely through. And now, Barcelona can look forward to joining the last eight for the quarter-final draw in Switzerland on Friday. Keep it here for all your Champions League 2019 updates.
The Blaugrana lead La Liga by seven points and have a visit to Real Betis to look forward to. Their hosts have won three of the last six and are in eighth place, well in the hunt for a Europa League place.
Meanwhile, Lyon continue their Ligue 1 campaign with a home fixture against seventh-placed Montpellier.
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