Luis Enrique's side had not conceded a single goal all season, but let in three in a dismal defensive display against a buoyant Paris Saint-Germain side
Seven games, 18 goals scored and none conceded. Luis Enrique's reign as
Barcelona boss had started so positively and it was his former team-mate
Laurent Blanc who was under pressure ahead of this match. But on the
night, the Spaniard's side failed their first big test as the Frenchman
saved his job.
Everything about Barca in 2014-15 had seemed impressive. The attitude, the organisation, the desire and the commitment was all there. Wins over Elche, Villarreal, Athletic Club, Levante, Granada and APOEL, plus a goalless draw at Malaga, showed early promise - but ultimately proved little.
Paris Saint-Germain, on the other hand, have already conceded ground in their own title race and even though the club's owners assured Blanc's job was safe, six draws from 10 competitive fixtures this term had led to intense speculation over the coach's position at the Parc des Princes.
Missing the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic, PSG were stripped of the talents of their finest footballer. But Blanc's side started strongly and pushed back Barcelona. Within nine minutes, they were ahead as David Luiz took advantage of horrible hesitation in the Barca box to slot home. It was the first goal conceded by Luis Enrique's side in 639 minutes of competitive football this season. And there was more to come.
Everything about Barca in 2014-15 had seemed impressive. The attitude, the organisation, the desire and the commitment was all there. Wins over Elche, Villarreal, Athletic Club, Levante, Granada and APOEL, plus a goalless draw at Malaga, showed early promise - but ultimately proved little.
Paris Saint-Germain, on the other hand, have already conceded ground in their own title race and even though the club's owners assured Blanc's job was safe, six draws from 10 competitive fixtures this term had led to intense speculation over the coach's position at the Parc des Princes.
Missing the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic, PSG were stripped of the talents of their finest footballer. But Blanc's side started strongly and pushed back Barcelona. Within nine minutes, they were ahead as David Luiz took advantage of horrible hesitation in the Barca box to slot home. It was the first goal conceded by Luis Enrique's side in 639 minutes of competitive football this season. And there was more to come.
At the other end, however, Andres Iniesta soon set up Lionel Messi and
the Argentine drilled a lovely left-footed effort into the corner to
level less than two minutes later. All of PSG's hard work was quickly
and so simply undone.
Seven sides had tried and failed to score against Barcelona this season, but none of those teams possess the quality of PSG and the French champions looked like scoring on a number of occasions in this one.
Marco Verratti headed home a rare goal from a corner after 26 minutes to restore their lead as Ivan Rakitic failed to get in front of the Italian and Marc-Andre ter Stegen (getting his second opportunity in the first team) was left in no-man's land as the midfielder nodded in at the far post.
This time, the home side were able to hang on to their lead and Blaise Matuidi made it 3-1 in the second half as he fired home PSG's 100th Champions League goal from close range after finding himself in ample space in the Barca box. Earlier, Javier Mascherano's last-ditch tackle had saved Jeremy Mathieu after the Frenchman was easily turned in the area by Edinson Cavani.
Mathieu, impressive so far in La Liga, looked out of his depth on occasions here, while Jordi Alba's poor form in the left-back position is also a concern for Luis Enrique. Barcelona's biggest priority in the summer window was central defence and two - Mathieu and Thomas Vermaelen - were signed, but Mascherano (a midfielder) remains the club's best centre-back. That, surely, is a worry.
Again, however, Barca hit back quickly as Neymar sent a clever shot just inside the post moments later at the other end to set up a fascinating finale in which both sides could have added to their tally.
"Why did we lose?" Luis Enrique asked afterwards. "The reasons are clear: we were away to an opponent at the same level as us. We weren't as good as we had hoped, but we had clear chances at the end and we could have equalised. I'm not saying the result is unfair, but maybe a draw would have been fair too."
Probably not. Because PSG looked hungrier, created the better chances, produced the best bit of defending on the night (as one-time Barca target Marquinhos made a brilliant block to deny Alba) and did enough to merit a win which gives Blanc some much-needed credit after a difficult few weeks. "I'm very satisfied," the 48-year-old said after the game. "We had some time to prepare for the game, but we have been going through a difficult period. We rediscovered certain values that we had lost."
For Luis Enrique, meanwhile, the first big test has brought the first failure of his tenure. And as so often before in recent times for Barca, the spotlight falls on the one area he had seemingly improved - the defence.
Seven sides had tried and failed to score against Barcelona this season, but none of those teams possess the quality of PSG and the French champions looked like scoring on a number of occasions in this one.
Marco Verratti headed home a rare goal from a corner after 26 minutes to restore their lead as Ivan Rakitic failed to get in front of the Italian and Marc-Andre ter Stegen (getting his second opportunity in the first team) was left in no-man's land as the midfielder nodded in at the far post.
This time, the home side were able to hang on to their lead and Blaise Matuidi made it 3-1 in the second half as he fired home PSG's 100th Champions League goal from close range after finding himself in ample space in the Barca box. Earlier, Javier Mascherano's last-ditch tackle had saved Jeremy Mathieu after the Frenchman was easily turned in the area by Edinson Cavani.
Mathieu, impressive so far in La Liga, looked out of his depth on occasions here, while Jordi Alba's poor form in the left-back position is also a concern for Luis Enrique. Barcelona's biggest priority in the summer window was central defence and two - Mathieu and Thomas Vermaelen - were signed, but Mascherano (a midfielder) remains the club's best centre-back. That, surely, is a worry.
Again, however, Barca hit back quickly as Neymar sent a clever shot just inside the post moments later at the other end to set up a fascinating finale in which both sides could have added to their tally.
"Why did we lose?" Luis Enrique asked afterwards. "The reasons are clear: we were away to an opponent at the same level as us. We weren't as good as we had hoped, but we had clear chances at the end and we could have equalised. I'm not saying the result is unfair, but maybe a draw would have been fair too."
Probably not. Because PSG looked hungrier, created the better chances, produced the best bit of defending on the night (as one-time Barca target Marquinhos made a brilliant block to deny Alba) and did enough to merit a win which gives Blanc some much-needed credit after a difficult few weeks. "I'm very satisfied," the 48-year-old said after the game. "We had some time to prepare for the game, but we have been going through a difficult period. We rediscovered certain values that we had lost."
For Luis Enrique, meanwhile, the first big test has brought the first failure of his tenure. And as so often before in recent times for Barca, the spotlight falls on the one area he had seemingly improved - the defence.
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