Barca’s ‘MSN’ in unstoppable form
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MESSI to Suarez to Neymar, goal. Messi to Suarez to Neymar, goal.
That devastating and increasingly familiar combination served up by Barcelona’s attacking trident of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar fired the Catalan giant past Bayern Munich into the UEFA Champions League final on Tuesday.
Although Barcelona lost the semifinal, second leg at the Allianz Arena 2-3, last week’s 3-0 victory in the first leg at the Nou Camp, with two goals from Messi and one from Neymar, meant it progressed comfortably through to the June 6 showpiece in Berlin 5-3 on aggregate.
Tuesday’s match was the latest masterclass from the South American trio, known in Spain as ‘MSN’, whose goals have put Barcelona on the brink of repeating 2009’s treble of Champions League and Spanish league and Cup triumphs, the only time a La Liga club has achieved the feat.
After Bayern took an early lead through Medhi Benatia, MSN, who are playing together for the first time this season following the arrival of Suarez from Liverpool, made their decisive contribution in the space of less than 15 minutes.
Argentina captain Messi sent a pinpoint pass behind the defense for Uruguay striker Suarez, who glanced up to his left and laid the ball across for Neymar of Brazil to sidefoot past stranded goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
Barcelona went 2-1 ahead when Messi flicked the ball into space for Suarez with his head, who again picked out Neymar to his left, before the Brazilian controlled with his chest and clipped a shot just inside the post.
It took Neymar’s Champions League tally for the season to nine, one behind top scorer Messi, while Suarez has six.
The trio have a club-record 114 goals between them in all competitions, while Messi has also provided a jaw-dropping 27 assists, with Suarez making 16 and Neymar six.
Barcelona has surely assembled one of the most fearsome forward lines in history and with Suarez the oldest at 28, Messi aged 27 and Neymar 23 they could be rattling in more than 100 goals a season for several years to come.
“We don’t need to talk about the trio’s qualities,” Barcelona coach Luis Enrique, whose side will play holder Real Madrid or Italy’s Juventus in the final, told a news conference afterwards.
“They have a solidarity and it is extremely difficult to control them,” added the ex-Barcelona and Spain midfielder, in his first season in charge at the club.
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