Barcelona scored twice in as many minutes in the dying moments of their Champions League group stage game at home to Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday, eventually sealing a dramatic 2-1 win. It was an admirably plucky performance from the visitors, who took a deserved advantage after some excellent football in the first half. However, their high-pressing game proved unsustainable, and Luis Enrique's side delivered the decisive blows after Leverkusen had tired deep in the second half.
3 things we learned from Barcelona’s 2-1 comeback win over Bayer Leverkusen
Barcelona scored twice late on as they came from behind to beat Bayer Leverkusen.
David Ramos/Getty Images
Barça created the better early chances, with the first coming when a Neymar cross was tamely headed into Bernd Leno's arms by Ivan Rakitić. They should've been ahead after 10 minutes, when a smart one-two saw Luis Suárez sent Sandro Ramírez through on goal, though Leno was on hand to make another save and keep the scores level.
Despite the hosts’ early threat, it was obvious that Leverkusen had come to attack. Without the ball they pressed high up the field; with it they took risks with dangerous through-balls for their attackers. They began to grow into the game, and Kevin Kampl almost fired them ahead with a curling effort from inside the area after 19 minutes. Just three later, they were ahead.
The opening goal came courtesy of a brilliant corner by Hakan Çalhanoğlu, whose delivery dipped under the crossbar and was flicked home by the faintest of Kyriakos Papadopoulos headers. It certainly didn't cover defender Jérémy Mathieu in glory, with the Frenchman unable to prevent the young Greek defender from making the requisite contact.
Barça were on the back foot, and 10 minutes before halftime nearly conceded a second. Leverkusen winger Karim Bellarabi slipped goalside of defender Gerard Piqué, only to smash his close-range shot straight at a grateful Marc-André ter Stegen. The hosts did manage to muster a response three minutes later, though a powerful Sandro strike was blocked on the line after Neymar's initial effort trickled against Leno's post.
Things almost went from bad to worse for the hosts within five minutes of the restart, though Leverkusen striker Javier Hernández somehow skied a glorious low cross over the bar with the Barça goal gaping. Sandro almost made him pay within a couple of minutes, though he drove a good chance wide at the other end.
Of course, as poor as they’re playing, Barcelona are still Barcelona, and they’ll always have the quality to transform games in an instant. A quiet Neymar almost did so just short of the hour, though his effort on the turn fizzed wide of Leno’s post. With 20 minutes left Piqué got up to meet a header in the penalty area, but his effort was weak and straight at Leno.
As the clock ticked on, Barça looked increasingly threatening. Leverkusen had tired and their early pressing had given way to two deep banks of four. Eventually the hosts' pressure paid off Substitute Sergi Roberto netted the equalizer just inside the final 10 minutes, tapping in from close range after Leno spilled an initial shot straight into his path.
Just seconds later, Barça were ahead. If the first goal was lucky, the second goal was pure quality. Suárez had been enduring a rather quiet evening, though he popped up to smash a spectacular shot into the roof of the net from the edge of the area with less than six minutes of normal time left on the clock. Things had completely turned at Camp Nou, and a deflated Leverkusen had no response.
Barcelona (4-3-3): Marc-André ter Stegen; Jérémy Mathieu, Javier Mascherano, Gerard Piqué; Andrés Iniesta (Jordi Alba 60'), Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitić (Sergi Roberto 72'); Neymar, Luis Suárez, Sandro Ramírez (Munir El Haddadi 63').
Goals: Sergi Roberto (82’), Suárez (84’).
Bayer Leverkusen (4-2-3-1): Bernd Leno; Wendell, Kyriakos Papadopoulos, Jonathan Tah, Giulio Donati (Roberto Hilbert 76'); Lars Bender, Christoph Kramer; Karim Bellarabi (Julian Brandt 66'), Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Kevin Kampl; Javier Hernández (Stefan Kießling 55').
Goals: Papadopoulos (22’).
3 Things we learned
More from our team blog
1. Barcelona won without playing well
Poor Leverkusen. They delivered an intelligent, well-organized performance and created more than enough chances on the counter-attack in the first two-thirds of this game to kill it off. However, wasteful finishing meant that they were unable to deliver the knockout blow, and against players with as much individual quality as Suárez, you’re always going to end up paying the price. Still, it’s clear that Barcelona aren’t quite at their sparkling best, and will be looking to improve as the season goes on.
2. Another team is rewarded for pressing Barça
In their shocking 4-1 defeat to Celta Vigo recently, Barça were effectively undone at their own game: beaten by a team that pressed high up the pitch rather than adopting the once-conventional wisdom of sitting back and soaking up pressure in one's own half. In this game, Bayer were also proactive without the ball -- particularly in the game's opening exchanges -- and they were rewarded. It was only once they tired and dropped off in the second half that they conceded. It could be that we see more teams try a pressing game against Luis Enrique's men; though it's harder to get right, the potential rewards are great.
3. Karim Bellarabi is good
Regular Bundesliga viewers won't have been surprised by the impressive performance turned in by Leverkusen's Karim Bellarabi, but outsiders might. Until being substituted midway through the second half, the German winger terrorized the Catalans' defense with his lightning pace and sharp close control, and Barcelona's back line would have been relieved to see him brought off.
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