Messi defends, Messi attacks: Five things we learned from Sevilla 2-2 Barcelona

In a breathtaking night in southern Spain, Barcelona came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Sevilla.

The Blaugrana’s two goals came within a minute of each other and just three from full-time. It was truly a last gasp effort that in all honesty came from nowhere in a game that Barcelona should have lost by at least three goals. What did we learn?

1. Messi is Barcelona’s best defender

That may sound ridiculous, but it’s honestly true (the same also applies to Argentina). When Messi is on the field, not only is he an incredible attacking force but his mere presence terrifies opponents. They are more hesitant to throw bodies forward and adopt an aggressive approach because they know that the best player in the world will likely slice them to pieces at the other end.

Witness Sevilla’s reaction once Messi came onto the field. Instantly they were throwing more bodies back into defence, worried about the Argentina’s creative potency. And justly so because Messi managed to create three chances in his first three minutes on the field and then, in the 88th minute, rattled home an incredible equaliser. This is the most unsung ability that Leo Messi has: he negatively effects the way opponents see the game and their confidence to attack.

1. Sevilla so good, Sevilla so bad
   Sevilla are one of the least consistent sides ever, even within the same match. Tonight against Barcelona they were a pressing sensation in the mid-block, taking advantage of the referee’s leniency to snap into tackles and win the ball back from an aimless Barcelona. And at the back they were almost totemic as well, constantly getting in the way of Barcelona’s attacks; cutting out key passes.

But in attack? Well, for the majority of the pitch they were effective, piling bodies forward into the cavernous gaps Barcelona were leaving in defence. Their wingers were dynamic, and the Blaugrana couldn’t cope. But then it came time to make the final pass or shot, and boy, did Sevilla get it wrong.

Apart from when Barcelona bizarrely left Franco Vazquez unmarked in the middle of their box like some sort of weird inverse Rondo exercise, Sevilla were constantly screwing up their own chances. Even their second goal required a hefty deflection to get beyond Marc-André Ter Stegen. They had numerous chances to bury Barcelona, but took none of them and in the end the Blaugrana pulled it back. Now the Andalucians have to face Bayern Munich with their confidence absolutely shattered.

1. Busquets is the key to Barça’s midfield
   Whilst all the headlines were taken by Leo Messi’s absence from this match, an equally big absence was Sergio Busquets. The midfield maestro had been missing for a few weeks, but for a clash as high intensity as this, his epic serenity was missed the most.

First is his supreme passing. When Busquets is on the ball he moves things around and along with almost regal authority, ensuring that Barcelona’s difference-makers get the ball in good positions where they can cause damage. When he’s not around, that doesn’t happen. The vast drop in quality from Ivan Rakitic and Andrés Iniesta. who usually excel against Sevilla, was no accident.

Moreover he’s so important defensively. Sevilla’s second goal came from the ball reaching Luis Muriel in a zone that would typically be defended by Busquets. And then as Barcelona threw bodies forward to try and equalise, every time Sevilla attacked they found space – and Busquets’ ability to cut counterattacks off at their root makes him so important. Busquets is Barcelona’s second best player and the finest midfielder in the world.

1. Contrasting fortunes for Bayern and Roma
   On the face of it, Bayern Munich should be terrified by this whilst Roma should be licking their lips. That would make sense, right? As Barcelona were shocking, especially in defence where they gave up countless chances to Sevilla on the break. And whilst Sevilla didn’t have Wissam Ben Yedder on the field, Roma will have Edin Dzeko.

But Barcelona didn’t have Busquets or Messi for most of the game, whilst both are in line to start against Roma. Furthermore, escaping the loss as they did will fill Barça with belief once more. They could unleash their frustrations on poor Roma (it wouldn’t be the first time that happened, i.e. the 2015/16 Champions League group stage).

And Bayern? Well sure, Sevilla dominated the game against Barcelona and it’s not likely they’ll finish that poorly again especially if Ben Yedder features, but they ran their hearts out against Barça. They truly ran themselves into the ground – so what will they have left in the tank against Bayern? They ran their heart out and threw the lead away. They’re ripe for the picking.

1. Messi is Barcelona’s best attacker
   What sphinx of sinew and ligaments bashed open their skulls and ate up their brains and imagination? Messi! Messi! Messi the incomprehensible player! Messi the crossbone soulless goalhouse and congress of sorrows! Messi whose goals are judgement! Messi the vast stone of war! Messi the heavy judger of men!

There is nothing that can be written about Leo Messi that would do justice to his unearthly impact on the way his teams play football. Five years ago against PSG he limped onto the field, barely able to jog let alone sprint, and so changed the atmosphere in the stadium that Barcelona managed to equalise and waltz into the Champions League semi-finals.

Tonight against Sevilla, Messi again clambered half-fit onto the pitch and, again, everything changed. It was like he’d gone around to each player individually and given them the Al Pacino speech from Any Given Sunday. Suddenly Barcelona had belief, they had drive, they had everything you could want. They never stopped coming even though, god, how they could pull two back against Sevilla when they were playing so badly? They could barely even get a shot on target, and when Rakitic hit the post they must have felt it was over.

But with Messi, nothing is ever over. Suárez flying kicked the ball into the back of the net like he was Liu Kang and then less than a minute later Jordi Alba’s cutback drifted, and drifted, and drifted. And there Messi was. The heavy judger of men. And when he hit the ball, you knew what was coming. And when it came, you weren’t surprised, but you were awestruck all the same.