Twitter Reacts as Lionel Messi Double Puts Barcelona in Control Against Liverpool in UCL Semi Final

01 May 2019 22:17

What can you say after that?

It started so well for the visitors; on the front foot, pressing, pushing. But there was one man on the pitch who certainly wanted his name in the headlines. Just as he does so well, Luis Suarez came back to bite Liverpool on the backsides, poking Barcelona in front in a breathless first half.

Dominance, utter dominance ensued in the second half as Jurgen Klopp's men blew a host of great chances to secure the all important away goal. Yet lady luck had other ideas.

Entirely against the run of play, Suarez hit the bar and the ball fell kindly to a certain number ten to walk it in. For all the ease and simplicity of his first, the second was utterly sublime. A free kick that could be attributed to one and one only, Lionel Messi proved once more he isn't human. 

​Before this titanic footballing spectacle had even begun there was support from former players for their respective sides.

A blistering opening from both teams set the tone for the contest, before ​Sadio Mane went down under Gerard Pique's clumsy challenge. Referee Björn Kuipers put his whistle in his mouth but opted against reviewing the tackle on VAR. It's fair to say ​Liverpool fans weren't best pleased. Even if he looked offside in the build up.

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​​A real moment of quality followed, however. Much to the dismay of the Scouse ensemble, former man ​Luis Suarez timed his run sublimely for Jordi Alba's excellent cross to poke his side in front. Needless to say, it wasn't taken lightly..

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Half was coming to a close in a wonderfully contested and even match. Yet there was time for ​Messi to do something, rather, un-Messilike. Not known for his play acting, the Argentine wizard fell the to floor with a woeful display of over exuberance after Jamés Milneymar's shoulder barge. 

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​​Some saw the other side.

​​Just as they did in the first half, Liverpool started like a house on fire. Pinning La Blaugrana back with the hosts barely getting a touch of the ball. Barcelona not having the ball. Yes, really.

Their Senegalese speed merchant had their best chance of the opening period, while Milner tested Marc-Andre ter Stegen twice with Mohamed Salah having the German 'stopper at full stretch. It was all Liverpool.

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​​However, in brutal fashion, their inability to make their make their dominance count came back to haunt them. Suarez hit the bar and the ball fell kindly to Messi to walk the ball into the net for 2-0. 

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And in a moment of Game of Thrones-esque foreshadowing, one Twitter member even called it.

​​And then Messi happened. With a 30 yard free kick. Messi just happened.

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​​AND THEN ROBERTO FIRMINO HAD ONE CLEARED OFF THE LINE, IT FELL TO SALAH!! BUT NO!!!!

​​To lose the match 3-0 feels unjustified. They created chances and had ​Barcelona on the back foot for large parts of the game. 

Fine margins, fine margins everywhere. The game we love is based so heavily on fine margins. And magicians, Argentinian magicians.

They've got a mountain to climb with a toothpick. But there's still a chance for Klopp's boys. Granted it's a small one, but it's there.

Source: 90min