Barcelona delivered a majestic performance at Camp Nou to thrash Roma 6-1 and emphatically secure top spot in Group E of the Champions League.
Despite a slow opening passage, Barca quickly hit full throttle and forced Roma into total submission, which saw most of the first half played in the Giallorossi’s end and the ‘MSN’ regularly given service to punish their opponents’ high line.
Consequently, La Blaugrana only had to wait 15 minutes to break the deadlock as Lionel Messi – starting his first game in two months – easily sprung the Lupi’s offside trap to square the ball in their box for a Luis Suarez tap-in.
Barca then doubled their advantage three minutes later, Neymar and Suarez deftly linking up, before Messi, found in the Roma area with a clipped through ball, lifted a finish over Wojciech Szczesny.
However, if those two goals could have been prevented by tighter defending then there was nothing the Italians could have done with the competition holders’ third as Suarez grabbed his second of the night with a scorching volley.
The Barca onslaught continued well into the restart, Gerard Pique even getting in on the scoring act as Suarez’s flick in the Roma D was met by Messi, who in turn unselfishly played the ball across Szczesny’s goal for the defender, with the goal at his mercy.
Neymar then dazzled the Camp Nou faithful with superb technique to bring down a square ball down the left-hand side, before drilling a low ball into the box for Messi, who netted at the second time of asking after his initial shot was saved.
The treble-winners completed the rout with 15 minutes to spare, Salih Ucan – just moments after coming on as a substitute for the ineffective Miralem Pjanic – clipping Neymar’s heels from behind in the area. The No 11 would have his penalty saved, but Adriano made no mistake from the rebound.
Roma, who must now beat BATE Borisov in a fortnight’s time to book their place in the knockout stage, also suffered the ignominy of a missed spot-kick via Edin Dzeko’s tame attempt, but he did head home a consolation effort with the last kick of the game.
Barcelona 6-1 Roma
Suarez 15, 44, Messi 18, 59, Pique 56, Adriano 77 (B) Dzeko 90 (R)
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Alves, Pique (Bartra 57), Vermaelen, Alba; Busquets (Samper 46), Sergi (Adriano 64), Rakitic; Messi, Suarez, Neymar
Roma: Szczesny; Maicon, Manolas, Rudiger, Digne; Pjanic (Ucan 75), Keita, Nainggolan (Iturbe 46); Florenzi (Vainqueur 58), Dzeko, Falque
Referee: Cakir [TUR]
