Barcelona 4-0 PSV Eindhoven: 5 Talking Points, Champions League 2018/19
Scorers: Messi 32', 77' and 87'; Ousmane Dembele 75'
The wait is finally over. FC Barcelona and PSV Eindhoven kickstarted the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League campaign. After a disappointing 2017/18 Champions League season, Barcelona will look to break their European trophy drought this season.
Barcelona are arguably in the toughest group this season, along with the likes of PSV, Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur. Barcelona last won the Champions League title in 2015 and have witnessed their arch-rivals, Real Madrid, dominate the tournament for the past three years.
Ernesto Valverde fielded a strong side with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Ousmane Dembele upfront in the attack. Valverde brought Philippe Coutinho and Sergio Busquets back to the starting lineup after being rested for the weekend La Liga fixture.
PSV are back in the Champions League after missing out last year's tournament. The Dutch side destroyed ADO Den Haag 7-0 in their last Eredivisie fixture and as a result, Mark van Bommel fielded an unchanged side at the Camp Nou. Mexico’s World Cup hero, Hirving Lozano, started up front for the Eredivisie side.
It was a familiar story in the end as Barcelona dominated the game and finished 4-0 winners. Lionel Messi grabbed a stunning hat-trick and Ousmane Dembele continued his good start to the season with a goal for himself.
On that note, let’s take a look at the five talking points from the game.
#1 Dembele continued his good start to the season
Ousmane Dembele is beginning to show his worth at the Camp Nou. Barcelona made him one of the most expensive players in world football last summer when they paid a huge fee to Borussia Dortmund to sign the youngster. After a disappointing start to his Barcelona career, the Frenchman has started the 2018/19 on a stunning fashion.
Dembélé has scored his fourth goal of the season in just five games. The 21-year-old was lively on the night and was relentless with his running. He troubled PSV’s defense with his pace and won the foul for Lionel Messi’s brilliant free kick. He killed the game in the 75th minute with a stunning goal. He mesmerized PSV’s defense with a brilliant run and slotted it past a hapless Jeroen Zoet into the back of the net. Dembele is going from strength to strength this campaign.