Barcelona remain in control at the top of Group D after a comfortable 3-1 home victory over Olympiacos, despite playing most of the match with 10 men following Gerard Pique’s red card just before half time.
Here’s a look at what we learned from Wednesday night’s game at the Nou Camp.
Ernesto Valverde could be right about Gerard Deulofeu
The Barcelona boss said of the winger following the league draw at Atletico Madrid at the weekend that he takes many risks but could prove to be a match-winner for the club this season.
His point was illustrated perfectly on Wednesday night as Deulofeu provided the cross for the opener as Dimitris Nikolaou turned the ball into his own net but then proceeded to regularly miss his targets with high balls into the box – Barcelona are not a tall team. When Valverde looked for a way to replace Pique in defence, it was Deulofeu who was sacrificed so that Javier Mascherano could come on to play in the back line.
Messi hits another milestone
Well, we already knew that. The Argentina star took the game by the scruff of the neck and crushed any hope Olympiacos had of getting back into the match following Pique’s red card with a goal and an assist early in the second half.
His superb free-kick was his 100th goal in European competition, 97 in the Champions League and three in the Super Cup, and at the age of 30 he remains just as pivotal to anything Barcelona might achieve as he ever has.
Messi magic
Own goal is Barca’s 12th man so far this season
Valverde is still blessed with many attacking options despite Neymar’s departure but Messi remains his talisman with 15 goals in all competitions this season. But who is second on the list? Luis Suarez? Ivan Rakitic? Andres Iniesta? No, own goal. Nikolaou’s was the fifth own goal Barcelona have benefited from this campaign. For the record, Suarez is the second highest scorer at the club with three goals.
Olympiacos’ stay in Europe could be a short one
Despite their numerical advantage the visitors struggled to create anything of note until Nikolaou went part way to atoning for his own goal by heading a consolation at the beginning of injury time.
Olympiacos are clearly a team lacking confidence after just one win in five matches domestically and three defeats in the Champions League leaves them bottom of Group D at the midway point with Barcelona and Juventus still to visit Greece. Even a third-place finish and Europa League qualification could prove difficult.