Football news - Luis Suarez scores sensational brace as Barca come from behind to beat Inter
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Updated 02/10/2019 at 21:24 GMT
Champions League Group F, Camp Nou - FC Barcelona 2 (Suarez 58', 84') Internazionale 1 (Martinez 2')
Luis Suarez of FC Barcelona celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League group F match between FC Barcelona and Inter at Camp Nou on October 02, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain
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A brilliant brace from Luis Suarez hauled Barca past Inter, who scored early and were by far the better team in the first half. But they now face a struggle to qualify for the knockout stages, sitting on one point after two games, three behind the Catalans and Borussia Dortmund too.
Inter, who have won six out six domestically, started quickly and took the lead before Barca even knew there was a game taking place, Lauturo Martinez taking advantage of a convenient ricochet to slide home a fine opener. And his team had various opportunities to increase their lead as their underpowered hosts struggled to unpick a well-organised defence.
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Lautaro Martinez of Inter Milan celebrates after he scores his sides first goal during the UEFA Champions League group F match between FC Barcelona and FC Internazionale at Camp Nou on October 02, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.
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Barcelona improved after the break, moving the ball quicker and introducing Arturo Vidal then Ousmane Dembele. On 58 minutes, the former's chipped pass set up Suarez to volley home a sensational equaliser and then, six minutes from time, Lionel Messi facilitated another glorious finish.
TALKING POINT
Barca need work. The team that Ernesto Valverde picked to start the match lacked pace up front and pace and power in midfield. He still has individuals good enough to win a game, but that is what he was relying on because his team was too slow to bother a well-drilled defence. He must get Dembele into the starting XI, though it means leaving out either Griezmann or Suarez.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Luis Suarez (Barcelona) His legs have gone but his skill and knack have not. Decided the game two expert's finishes.
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Luis Suárez
Image credit: Getty Images
KEY STATS
Barcelona have not lost a European home game since Bayern Munich won at Camp Nou in the 2013 semi-final.
Luis Suarez scored as many goals in this Champions League game as in the previous 20.
PLAYER RATINGS
Barcelona: Ter Stegen 6, Sergi Roberto 6, Pique 6, Lenglet 6, Semedo 5, Busquets 5, De Jong 6, Arthur 6, Messi 6, Suarez 8, Griezmann 5. Subs: Vidal 7, Dembele 7.
Internazionale: Handanovic 6, Godin 6, De Vrij 6, Skriniar 6, Brozovic 7, Candreva 6, Asamoah 6, Barella 7, Sensi 7, Sanchez 5, Martinez 7. Subs: D'Ambrosio 6, Politano 6, Gagliardini 6.
KEY MOMENTS
3’ - GOAL! Barcelona 0-1 Internazionale (Martinez) Wow! Move over Lionel Messi! Inter wins a free-kick and it bobbles about in the centre-circle before a ricochet involving Sanchez puts Martinez through! He whips onto the ball, keeps hold of it brilliantly while holding Lenglet off, and then slides into a brilliant left-footed finish, across Ter Stegen! Have a look!
19’ - Barca are coming! Busquets plays a lovely ball towards the line for Semedo, who should cut back first time, except he has to switch feet. So his eventual cross, seeking De Jong, is just about intercepted by Godin and then Busqets shoots over from distance.
33’ - Inter are all over this, Sensi finding Martinez, who plays into Sanchez's feet. He rolls Lenglet, transferring the ball into Barella's stride, but Ter Stegen saves hsi shot.
37’ - Candreva keeps the width and whips in a glorious cross! Martinez is up too, and makes a very acceptable connection ... but Ter Stegen, moving to his right, comes back towards his left, a strong hand pranging it away from close to his ankle.That's a very good save.
40’ - Inter move from one end to the other, De Vrij and Handanovic starting things before they move the ball down the right then through midfield and over to Sensi. He darts into Martinez, who plays the wall, and bursting onto the tee-up, he curls hard and just over the top; what a goal that would've been! Inter are by far the better side here.
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Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League Group F football match between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, on October 2, 2019.
Image credit: Getty Images
43’ - Another sweeping move from Inter, Sanchez involves on the right before the ball goes left to Sensi. Inside the box, he forces into space for Sanchez to attack, but his header is wide of the near post.
58’ - WHAT A GOAL! Barcelona 1-1 Internazionale (Suarez) As I said, Barca didn't need Vidal and are being dragged down by Suarez. So Vidal clips a cross to Suarez, on the edge of the box, left of centre; he leans further left to make space for his leg, and power-strokes a horizontal volley across Handanovic into the far corner!
67’ - Dembele is on the left, which makes sense with Messi and Suarez on the pitch, but I much prefer him going on the outside. But perhaps the game isn't like anymore, and Dembele collects the ball off a shin having missed with a through-pass to Messi, then wallops a curler just over the top.
84’ - GOAL! Barcelona 2-1 Internazionale (Suarez) Yes they can! Messi beats Asamoah and runs towards Brozovic, checking to punch a square ball at Suarez .. who cushions to control with his left foot, bursts into the box past Godin, opens his body, and slot homes a left-footed finish. That's another lovely goal, though Inter shouldn't have made the mistake of attacking.
KEY STATS
- Barcelona are unbeaten in their last 33 home UEFA Champions League matches (W30 D3 L0), with that run featuring two wins over Internazionale.
- Internazionale have lost three consecutive away UEFA Champions League matches for the first time, with two of those three defeats away at Camp Nou against Barcelona.
- When starting, Barcelona’s Lionel Messi has either scored or assisted in each of his last 13 UEFA Champions League group stage matches at Camp Nou for Barcelona (22 goals, 7 assists).
- Internazionale scored inside two minutes of a UEFA Champions League match (1:59) for the first time since Dejan Stankovic scored after 26 seconds against FC Schalke 04 in April 2011.
- Luis Suárez scored his first UEFA Champions League group stage goals since September 2016, when he scored twice against Celtic, ending a run of 15 games at this stage without a goal for Barcelona.
- Lautaro Martínez’s goal for Internazionale after 119 seconds was the fastest conceded by Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League since September 2011, when Alexandre Pato scored after 24 seconds for Milan at Camp Nou.
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