The attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez were all on target as Barcelona came from behind to beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 on Wednesday in their Champions League Group F decider.
Both sides had already qualified for the last 16, but first place was still up for grabs, with the French champions needing just a point at the Camp Nou and Barcelona having to win.
When Zlatan Ibrahimovic put the visitors ahead against his old club on 15 minutes, PSG appeared to be in control, but Barcelona’s all-star front line all weighed in with goals to swing the match back the home side’s way and ensure that they go through to next Monday’s draw as group winners.
Messi equalised just four minutes after Ibrahimovic’s opener, before Neymar put the hosts ahead on 42 minutes and Suarez secured the victory 13 minutes from time, ending PSG’s record as the last club in Europe’s leading leagues still to be unbeaten in all competitions this season.
“We posed them problems but we were not clinical enough,” said PSG coach Laurent Blanc, who admitted that his team can now expect a tough draw in the last 16.
“It is a disadvantage to finish second. In a group with FC Barcelona, you can expect to be in a real battle to finish first. We couldn’t do it, and now we impatiently await the draw.”
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said: “We have fulfilled our part of the contract by finishing first. And the team that draws us will undoubtedly not be happy.”
With both sides having already qualified ahead of this game, Blanc had admitted that his men would be able to play with more freedom, as long as they could get the ball from their hosts.
Barcelona monopolised possession from the start, but PSG took the lead with their first shot on target, Ibrahimovic beating Marc-Andre ter Stegen with a first-time effort on his left-foot after Blaise Matuidi had laid off a Lucas ball in from the right.
It was the Swede’s 12th goal of an injury-hit campaign and the first time he had ever scored against Barcelona, the club with whom he spent a year under Pep Guardiola in 2009/10.
However, Barcelona were quickly back level, Messi arriving at the back post to convert after neither David Luiz nor keeper Salvatore Sirigu had cut out Suarez’s first-time ball across the six-yard box.
“Was the new system a risk? Well it depends on the result, whatever happens whether it is good or bad depends on the result,” Luis Enrique said.
“We were without a key player in (suspended fullback) Dani Alves and we went out with a game plan to cause problems for an opponent that defended deeply and looked to counter-attack.
“It was made even more complicated by the fact they scored first but we turned the game around with some good football. We played the system that we thought would do the most damage.
“We created chances and beat a strong side to finish top of the group, so it was a good night for us.”
Messi now has 75 Champions League goals, and 76 in all European competitions, equal with the all-time record mark of former Real Madrid star Raul.
Nevertheless, Luis Enrique’s decision to start with a back three left plenty of space for PSG to exploit in wide areas and they had chances to reclaim the lead.
A Matuidi ball in from the left was struck wide by Lucas, and then Edinson Cavani connected with an Ibrahimovic assist from the other side, forcing a save from Ter Stegen.
However, the Catalans displayed their fearsome attacking firepower at the other end as Sirigu beat away a Suarez shot before Neymar put them in front three minutes prior to the break.
The Brazilian was released by Andres Iniesta before advancing and curling a superb shot beyond Sirigu into the right corner of the net for his third goal in the competition this season.
It remained an enjoyably open contest in the second half and the French champions almost equalised in the 53rd minute when Lucas broke into the area, only for Ter Stegen to deny the Brazilian before Cavani’s follow-up was blocked by Marc Bartra.
Blanc sent on Javier Pastore and Ezequiel Lavezzi for midfield duo Marco Verratti and Matuidi as his side went in search of the equaliser that would have put them back on top of the group.
Yet it was Barcelona who scored again in the 77th minute, with Suarez getting on the scoresheet at the Camp Nou for the first time since joining the club from Liverpool in the summer.
When Neymar’s shot was turned out by Sirigu, Suarez was on hand to convert the rebound, securing the win and sealing revenge for a 3-2 defeat in Paris at the end of September.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
THE LOWDOWN
Photograph
Rating: 4/5
Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies
Director: Ritesh Batra
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
More from Neighbourhood Watch
THE SPECS
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
Transmission: Seven-speed auto
Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000
On sale: now
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Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
Veere di Wedding
Dir: Shashanka Ghosh
Starring: Kareena Kapoo-Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania
Verdict: 4 Stars
MATCH INFO
Azerbaijan 0
Wales 2 (Moore 10', Wilson 34')
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RESULTS
Tottenham 1
Jan Vertonghen 13'
Norwich 1
Josip Drmic 78'
2-3 on penalties
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
Brief scores
Day 1
Toss England, chose to bat
England, 1st innings 357-5 (87 overs): Root 184 not out, Moeen 61 not out, Stokes 56; Philander 3-46
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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