Much-changed Barca still too good
BARCELONA: Barcelona rounded off an unbeaten Champions League group stage as Paco Alcacer’s header and a late own goal from Jeremy Mathieu secured a 2-0 win over Sporting Lisbon.
Juventus will join the Spanish giants in the last 16 after they too were 2-0 victors away at Olympiakos, relegating Sporting to the consolation of a place in the Europa League in the new year.
With Barcelona already guaranteed top spot in Group D, Lionel Messi was left on the substitutes’ bench for the second consecutive Champions League game as Ernesto Valverde made eight changes from the side that started Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo.
Sporting needed to inflict Barca’s first home defeat in the Champions League for five years to have any chance of joining the Catalans in the knockout stages.
However, the Portuguese side showed little ambition until falling behind. “They were the ones that had the obligation to win the game, but they waited until making changes in the second half to try to beat us,” Valverde told BeIN Sports Spain.
“We are always obliged to try and take the game to the opponents for the team we have and the style this club have played with for many years.
‘Sometimes we do it in a more brilliant way than others, but our intention is always the same.”
Barca pressed for an opener before the break but lacked the magic Messi so often provides to unlock a packed defence.
A fifth clean sheet in six Champions League games means Barca have so far proved the meanest defence in the competition.
“It is true we are performing well on that front and our goalkeepers are giving us a lot,” added Valverde.
“Today Cillessen had an extraordinary save.”