Neymar and Luis Suarez were at it again at the Camp Nou on
Wednesday night with the Brazilian scoring twice and the Uruguayan once in a
comfortable win over BATE Borisov.
Lionel Messi is almost definitely out of the November 21
Clasico but with Suarez and Neymar in this sort of goalscoring form the team
might just make it through until his return.
Barcelona’s last 17 goals have all been scored by Neymar and
Suarez and against BATE the former rolled in a penalty for the first and then
he made the second for Suarez and scored the third from the former Liverpool
striker's pass.
Neymar has 16 goals in the Champions League – two more than
Ronaldinho. And Suarez with 37 goals in 59 games for Barca in all competitions
is just one goal behind Diego Maradona and two behind Romario. Maradona scored
38 goals in 58 games and Romario 39 in 66 matches.
Three of the club’s most famous forwards are seeing their
career numbers fade in the face of two-thirds of the current front-three. In
Messi’s absence Suarez and Neymar are re-writing the club’s record books.
Before the game started Uefa’s anthem was whistled by
Barcelona fans. They are upset at two fines imposed for displaying the ‘Estelada’
Catalan Independence flag at last season's Champions League final and this
season against Bayer Leverkusen. The flag is considered by Uefa to be a
political symbol.
There were more Esteladas than ever inside the stadium on
Wednesday and the club had draped a huge 'Respect' Banner from the main stand.
Uefa delegate Karl-Erik Nilsson was at the Camp Nou photographing the display
of defiance and Uefa will now have to decide whether to issue a third
fine.
On the pitch Neymar and Suarez continue to be the standard
bearers. They almost combined for the first when Neymar played a pass through
to Suarez but he shot wide.
Neymar then won a free-kick when Nemanja Milunovic ended his
run across the face of the penalty area. He took the set-piece himself but blazed
it over.
BATE won a free-kick on the edge of the Barca area after
Vermaelen fouled Mikhail Gordeichuk and Marc-Andre ter Stegen had to save Igor
Stasevich's set-piece.
Having not taken their early chances Barcelona were dealt an
injury blow with Ivan Rakitic hobbling off to be replaced by Munir who then won
the penalty for the first goal. He cut in from the right touchline and passed
to Suarez. When he gave it back to Munir he was bundled over by Filip
Mladenovic and referee Istvan Vad pointed to the spot.
Neymar has taken Barcelona’s last two penalties and scored
them both without a run-up. He stared down Sergei Chernik and when the BATE
keeper blinked first and dived to his left, Neymar rolled the ball to his right
for 1-0.
The biggest cheer of the first half came when Ter Stegen
charged to the corner flag to sweep up a loose ball and found himself under
pressure from Dmitri Mozolevski. He didn’t panic hoofing it out of play, but
instead dribbled it forward and found a team-mate. That and Neymar’s laid-back
spot kick summed up Barca’s first half dominance.
There was some second-half showboating from Iniesta and
Busquets before the second goal came. Busquets started the move as he broke
away with the ball. He looked to have picked the wrong option ignoring Munir in
acres of space on the right to play in Neymar down the left. The Brazilian
crossed to Suarez and after two quick touches to get the ball out of his feet
he used his third touch to shoot past Chernik. It was his eighth goal in his
last nine games.
He turned provider again with the third of the night
unselfishly crossing for Neymar. The win had been sealed but Roma's late goal
to claim a 3-2 victory against Bayer Leverkusen ensured qualification was not.
‘Batman’ Messi might be injured but the Dynamic Duo have never been better
Source: Dailymail
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