Barcelona booked an important win in the Champions League on Wednesday evening. Ronald Koeman’s team won very difficult against Dinamo Kiev in the Camp Nou: 1-0. Gerard Pique immediately became Barcelona’s oldest goalscorer ever in the Champions League as a match winner. At 34 years and 260 days, the defender is older than Sylvinho (34 years and 241 days) when he scored his last goal. Barcelona are third on three points in Group E and will hope Bayern Munich beat Benfica later in the evening; Kiev remains scoreless at the bottom.
Koeman chose to take Ansu Fati out of the starting line-up, which freed up a spot in the striker for Luuk de Jong. Clément Lenglet had a chance at the center back due to the absence of Eric García (suspension) and Ronald Aráujo (injury). Just like against Valencia (3-1 win), Sergiño Dest started as a right winger and had a nice chance early in the game, but was unable to send his header well from close range.
Barcelona finally takes the lead! ?? Gerard Pique shows himself to be a striker and works inside for the 1-0 ?#ZiggoSport #UCL #BARKIE pic.twitter.com/1XzAS8AjFo
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) October 20, 2021
Barcelona took the initiative firmly in their hands, but it was anything but smooth for the Catalans. However, the pressure from the home side resulted in few chances. Luuk de Jong headed just wide from a free kick by Depay and then saw a shot from the edge of the penalty area tapped out of the corner by Georgiy Bushchan. A huge opportunity followed after more than half an hour for Dest, who shot straight at the goalkeeper at the far post. A few seconds later, the ball went in after all, when Gerard Pique ran into a cross from Alba while falling: 1-0.
At halftime, Koeman intervened by bringing in Fati and Philippe Coutinho for Luuk de Jong and Óscar Mingueza, making Dest right back. Frenkie de Jong was quickly released in the penalty area, but the midfielder made the wrong choice by not shooting himself. When Fati intercepted the ball from goalkeeper Bushchan moments later, the substitute should have just passed the ball to a rushing fellow player, but instead he went for a failed standing overhead kick.
Barça kept looking for a possible liberating second goal, but Coutinho aimed hard after Fati was put back. To the great cheers of the Spaniards’ supporters, Sergio Agüero entered the field fifteen minutes before the end. Barcelona were no longer able to enforce great opportunities, but also gave nothing away and thus took the victory over the line.