Messi-less Barca become mercy-less against Dynamo Kyiv.
Barcelona defeated Dynamo Kyiv 4-0 without their star Lionel Messi and sealed their spot in the knockout stages in the UEFA Champions League clash.
New Delhi(Kyiv), 25/11: FC Barcelone advanced to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League 2020-21, following their win against Dynamo Kyiv in an away game, held at NSC Olimpiyskiy, in Kyiv, Ukraine. German goalkeeper, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen captained an inexperienced Barca side to a win against the Ukrainian team. After a sluggish first half from Barca, their only shot coming from Phillipe Coutinho, the Catalan giants seemed to regain their spark in the second half. The U.S.A international Sergino Dest scored his first goal for Barca after an assist from Martin Braithwaite in the 52nd minute. Braithwaite soon doubled up and scored his first Champions League goal in the 57th minute. Braithwaite soon scored his second goal after taking a penalty kick in the 70th minute. The final nail in the coffin was by substitute Antoine Griezmann in the stoppage time. The French international, who has yet to show any significant display of his talent after signing with Barca from Athletico Madrid, finished with a lethal strike to the bottom right corner to make it 4-0, assisted by Jordi Alba.
The Barca manager Ronald Koeman, made 8 changes in the team, leaving out Barca’s star Lionel Messi and Dutch mid-fielder Frenkie de Jong, giving chances to CB Oscar Mingueza, after the senior defender Gerard Pique was injured from a previous match, forward Konrad de la Fuente and midfielder Matheus Fernandes. La Masia midfielders Carles Alena and Riqui Puig were given a chance in the youngest side of Barca as the average age of the players rounded up to 24.
“We’ve completed our objective, which was to qualify, and we gave a very positive image of ourselves. We played with a lot of energy and although we were not very effective in the first half, we dominated the second and had some very nice passages of play. Every player showed hunger and the young players gave good displays too.”, said Barca coach Ronald Koeman, about the win. With the win, the Catalan giants have soared into the knockout stages, without being defeated in the group stages. This was also Barcelona’s 17th consecutive season of entering the knockout stages of the famed UEFA Champions League.
