Barcelona overcomes Inter Milan with a CCC (cool, calm and classy) display - UCL Match Analysis – Oct 24, 2018

Barcelona overcomes Inter Milan with a 

CCC (cool, calm and classy) display.

UCL 2018-19 –Match Analysis – Oct 24, 2018

A Messi-less FC Barcelona faced the other unbeaten team of their group at the Camp Nou. Inter Milan with their mean defense and quick counters had been in great form this season with Icardi & Perisic being their impact players. Earlier Spurs were held by PSV which benefitted Barca and Milan.

There was a special spectator at the Camp Nou. Messi with his injured arm in a sling, was in the stands with his  son Thiago and Suarez's son Benja to witness the key contest that would decide the group leaders.  A camera was permanently trained on Leo Messi and we got to see some priceless reactions from the Blaugrana Captain.

Barca’s midfield was strong but their strike force (in the absence of Messi) lacked the killer punch and the defense was leaky. In their last league game Ter Stegen’s heroics ensured that they were leaders of La Liga.

It was a crucial encounter as Inter Milan looked to upset the depleted Barcelona team at the Camp Nou. Valverde unlike last time, brought in Rafinha in place of Messi and rested the unpredictable Dembele.  

It looked an overcrowded midfield - Arthur, Sergi Roberto, Coutinho, Busquets, Rakitic and Luis Suarez (he is becoming more of a playmaker) were at the helm with Jordi Alba, Lenglet and Pique guarding the back. There was only one question - Who was the striker?

Initially Milan posed a greater threat especially the in-form Perisic, who was on the lookout for a break. A poor clearance from Ter Stegen, almost had Perisic scoring. Icardi narrowly missed from a well-timed cross of Perisic.

Despite the pressure Pique, Lenglet and Alba were up to the task never letting up even for a moment.  Roberto and Busquets supported the defenders well.

As the game progressed Barcelona gained more confidence. They kept the ball and attacked with more intent. But the solid defense of Milan managed to thwart their efforts.

Coutinho, Rafinha and Saurez were manning both the midfield and the attacks. Luis Suarez missed a couple (which has become an annoying norm) while the best of chances fell to Rafinha whose final shots were disappointing. Similarly Lenglet’s header from a set piece was blocked. 

Messi, watching the game, was on the edge every time they missed.

But in the middle, there was more intent and discipline as Arthur, Busquets, Alba, Roberto and Rakitic did fantastically well to win back the ball whenever they lost possession. They kept things moving from end to end. An impressive Arthur was all over the place and was ably supported by the calm Rakitic and the exceptional Busquets.

Ultimately the immense pressure from Barca saw Milan’s defense being breached. Rafinha passed the ball to Luis Suarez and continued his run forward. An incredible and perfect cross from Luis Suarez (it was the best pass of the entire match) fell to Rafinha who managed a side-footed finish, putting Barcelona in front.

Everyone at the Camp Nou let out a sigh of relief and joy along with two cute Messis.

Arthur, Coutinho, Rafinha and Roberto combined well to threaten regularly. Luis Suarez kept the Milan defense busy with his constant run-ins, though he was caught offside a few times.  After the initial aggression, Milan were forced to be on the backfoot by Barcelona in the first half.

The second half saw Politano coming in for Milan. The Italitans were more intent on scoring and the Barcelona defense was under pressure. Politano’s curling cross was pushed away by an alert Ter Stegen who was aware of the lurking Perisic. Politano followed it up with another effort, after Arthur gave away the ball, which went over the bar.

Even with all the pressure, a composed Barcelona refused to panic. They countered with more attacks and started to dominate. Suarez and Lenglet (from set pieces) forced acrobatic saves from the Milan goalkeeper Handanovic. The ball just wouldn’t go in for Barca as Coutinho hit the woodwork.

An anxious Messi must have lost half his finger nails as the 1-0 lead was never a safe bet.

Then Jordi Alba decided to take things upon himself. He gave the ball to Rakitic and launched himself into attack from the left. He latched onto Rakitic’s lovely return pass and went on to score the incisive goal that ensured a hard earned and well- deserved 2-0 win.

Seeing his classy mate Alba score in style, a smiling and relieved Messi left the stands , a few minutes before the game ended.

Analysis:

In the face of adversity, it was an impressive display in all aspects from FC Barcelona.

Coach Valverde’s choice of Rafinha instead of Dembele came as a surprise. But it was a fine strategy that worked in favour of Barcelona. Hopefully Rafinha will be rewarded with regular playing time.

They defended superbly. Ter Stegen though rarely tested, was alert whenever there was a threat. A strong Lenglet successfully kept Icardi in check. For once Pique was impeccable. Busquets, Roberto and Alba played their parts well in defense.

Both Pique and Lenglet need to improve their scoring efforts from set pieces as they are unable to finish off easy chances.  (Lenglet could have easily scored a hattrick!)

Arthur and Luis Suarez were the standout players who created problems for the opposition.

Luis Suarez was like a man possessed as he tried to seal the match with a 2^nd goal.  It was bizarre to see Mialn's Brozovic lying down behind the wall and defend  one of Luis Suarez's free kick that was aimed below the wall.  Suarez was a constant threat and a complete nuisance (LOL).

The Brazilian Arthur is growing better with each game. He is gaining more confidence and his skills are unmistakable. He is a huge positive for Barcelona and has a bright future.

The composed Busquets and Rakitic were like double edged swords – defending and attacking as per the requirement. They brought in a sense of calm whenever Milan threatened.

The fleet footed combo of Coutinho and Alba did great to draw the Milan defenders to themselves and free up spaces for the rest. Similarly, Rafinha and Roberto combined beautifully on the right. They also threatened constantly in attack.

Without their Talisman Messi, Barcelona were expected to be more flustered. But it turned out to be a fascinating encounter which saw the quality and composure of Barcelona win over a defiant Inter Milan. They had about 70% of the ball which shows how dominant they were.

For Inter Milan, Perisic was easily their best player. He was excellent in both offense and defense.

Their goalkeeper Handanovic was excellent pulling off a series of unbelievable saves. If not for him, the margin could have been worse for Milan.

The substitute Politano made an immediate impact in the second half. But his awful finishing in front of an open goal proved costly for Milan.

In a couple of weeks. Barca will take on Milan again at the San Siro. It would be a different ball game all together. But this performance would give the team confidence and belief.

During the match, every time there was a good move or a close miss, we got to see Messi react to it. He looked every bit the player who was playing the game in his mind. His being around (even if it was from the stands) was a big boost for the team and the fans. Please keep that camera on Messi whenever he is among the audience.

Next stop – El Clasico!

Image Credits - Google Images