Liverpool have historically played well at Camp Nou. They did again but the scoreline will ensure that is forgotten. The Reds will return to Anfield having been humbled for the first time in a while. Liverpool fell to a 3-0 defeat in a misleading but possibly decisive tie.
Liverpool began taking the game to the home side. It was a glorious, tense first half with both sides relentlessly pressing each other and looking to carve each other open. The Reds made chances but could not find a finish.
It cost them.
Liverpool know perfectly well, that at this level, any weakness or error gets punished. They have certainly doled out beatings before this. Barcelona’s first goal came in a flash. Luis Suarez was at his waspish best and made a brilliant move and finish to give the Blaugrana a 1-0 lead.
The second half started with Liverpool, renewed and relentless again. Then Lionel Messi took things over.
Against the run of play, Messi engineered another lighting quick counter-attack that ended with him picking up the rebound from Suarez’s shot off the crossbar to walk it across the line.
Then, after being fouled outside the box centrally, he stepped up and curled a brilliant, unstoppable free-kick into the upper-left corner to send Camp Nou into ecstasy. It was a work of genius.
Now Liverpool will have to muster something equally otherworldly to pull off the kind of comeback that would rival those of their past.
Here are four findings from the match.
