The Argentine came off early in Barca’s 2-1 win over Las Palmas in La Liga Saturday and will be missed as the reigning European champion seek a first win in Group E.
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“Today we saw the attitude the players have… everyone worked hard right to the end of the game and it is like that in every match“, Enrique said.
“I’m playing more than before at the beginning of this season“, he added.
The Mexican forward stirred the Spanish team’s defense throughout his 54 minutes on the pitch and had them scrambling to defend their goalie, which is why commentators and fans alike were surprised when Chicharito was replaced.
Barcelona were without Lionel Messi through injury and Luis Enrique was happy the way the team responded.
Although Barcelona claimed a 2-1 victory over Las Palmas through a Luis Suarez brace.
Barcelona’s victory moved them to the top of their Champions League group, with four points from their first two matches. We have to know how to play [without Messi] and to win with him so when he returns we’re in good form.
It was also detailed in the Fox Sports report that Leverkusen was able to penetrate Barca’s gameplay because of Messi’s absence.
Despite the absence of injured talisman Lionel Messi, the Blaugrana took little time to settle into their rhythm and both Neymar and Ivan Rakitic went close in the opening stages.
“The information regarding Iniesta is sad, firstly for the player himself and also because (the injuries) now seem like a joke”, said Barca boss Luis Enrique. With [wingers] Douglas Costa and Kingsley Coman our game is much better. But with the Brazilian national team, Neymar chiefly plays as the No. 10 and excels in the central role, regularly bagging goals at a history-making rate.
“It’s a major loss but now we have to become even stronger”. But heading into the match against Barcelona, Leverkusen still remember the 7-1 beating from three years ago. I understand the whispers but I think they are undeserved.
Coming into the second half of the UEFA Champions League game between Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen, Barca was down 1-0 on a goal from Kyriakos Papadopoulos.
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Neymar cut an increasingly frustrated figure in the Barcelona strike force before the breakthrough finally came in the 80th minute when Jordi Alba set up Munir for his initial effort which would lead to Sergi’s equaliser.
