This time, they’ll be up against an equally hard opponent in AS Roma on Tuesday, hoping to grab that spot in the Champions League knockout stages.
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Both the Brazil captain and the ex-Liverpool star have netted 20 of Barca’s last 21 goals prior to Tuesday’s 6-1 drubbing of Roma and the Champions League holders hammered fierce rivals Real Madrid in stunning fashion on Saturday as they ran riot with a 4-0 win in el Clasico.
The first goal went to Luis Suarez in the 15th minute before Lionel Messi scored just two minutes later off a 27 pass play.
Messi is the heavy favourite to pick up a fifth Ballon d’Or gong this year having led Barca to a treble win last season. A team that beats Real Madrid 4-0 and is playing at top form is an unbeatable machine. We have also got some very talented players and, with these, we are going to have to be incisive when it matters. “But for sure we can still improve in many things”.
Lionel Messi celebrated his return to the starting line-up with a brace, one in each half, while Luis Suarez helped himself to a first-half double.
Luis Enrique, though, believes there is still margin for improvement. “Today we saw Roma push up their lines today, to press up”. January’s approaching and it’s important for us because we can add players. So we had many chances from the start, and went ahead early. “He perfectly understood what was asked of him, always finding space”. We don’t think individually. AFP PHOTO/ PAU BARRENAPAU BARRENA/AFP/Getty Images Barcelona‘s Brazilian defender Adriano (C) celebrates with Barcelona’s defender Jordi Alba (L) and Barcelona’s Brazilian defender Dani Alves after scoring during the UEFA Champions League Group E football match FC Barcelona vs AS Roma at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on November 24, 2015. In the 39th minute, the top goal scorer of the season Brazilian sensation Neymar Jr. had extended the lead to 2-0 and hosts were two-goal behind the visitors till the half-time. They do what the team needs.
“We arrived in Barcelona fully aware of the task facing us”.
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Some of the faces may have changed, but the performance was similar as Barca’s pressure asphyxiated Roma’s attempts to play the ball from defense, setting up attack after attack for Luis Enrique’s men. Then he has so much footballing talent too.
