Barcelona players celebrate a goal during the UEFA Champions League football match against Bayern Munich.
DPA/Madrid
The prospect of another Champions League final for Barcelona was an enticing one for the media in Catalonia, after late 3-0 destruction of defensively brittle Bayern Munich by Lionel Messi and company.
Barca are now well placed for what would be their fourth final appearance in 10 years, though it has not been forgotten that they crashed 4-0 in Munich in the semi-finals of 2013.
Two years ago, Barca were humiliated on a 7-0 aggregate by Bayern. “Last night was sweet revenge for what happened in 2013”, commented Catalan radio station RAC1.
“Barca were very patient last night, waiting until the last 13 minutes to pull apart a defence that was tired and weakened by injuries.”
The Catalan media were once again full of praise for Messi, who scored the first two goals and set up the third for Neymar.
“There is no tactical system in world football that can stop Messi when he is on song,” said television channel TV3.
“There is really little that a team can do when he decides to turn a match around like that.”
Meanwhile, Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu said: “I have always said that Messi is the best player in the world, and tonight he has shown that once again.”
Bartomeu is a candidate in Barca’s presidential elections scheduled for July, and his election prospects obviously focus on whether Messi can guide Barca to a treble of Champions League, Spanish Liga and domestic cup.
Messi is now all-time top scorer in the Champions League with 77 goals, one above Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid.
He has scored 10 goals in 11 games in this year’s edition, and has put away the remarkable tally of 53 goals in all competitions this season. “It is always lovely to be praised, but we have still not won any trophies,” Messi wrote after the game.
“Besides, there are still 90 minutes left to play in Munich. Bayern have great players and will be backed by their fans.”