Lionel Messi produced a stellar first-half performance to help Barcelona on their way to a 3-2 victory over Sampdoria at the Camp Nou.
The ex-Argentina international put the opener on a plate for teammate Luis Suarez with a sublime overhead-kick assist, before scoring two of his own.
Sampdoria twice pulled a goal back to keep the game alive, first through Luis Muriel and then via a fine Ante Budimir finish, but Barca were under little pressure and held on with relative ease to claim victory in the Joan Gamper Trophy.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the pre-season friendly meeting between Barcelona and Sampdoria at the Camp Nou. Both these sides play their final outings of the summer this evening, although most of the focus will be on the home side following their heavy defeat at the hands of Liverpool at Wembley just four days ago.
There is some silverware of sorts on the line for Barca tonight, too - the Joan Gamper Trophy. It is a fixture that the Catalan giants have won on each of the last three occasions, seeing off Santos, Club Leon and Roma in the process, but they came unstuck the last time they faced Sampdoria here when losing 1-0 in 2012. It is a fixture that Barcelona are strong favourites to win, and one that they will use to show that Saturday's loss was merely a blip.
The Catalan giants are next in action when facing Sevilla in a Spanish Super Cup double-header over the next seven days - always an explosive way to kick off any domestic season. Luis Enrique will be aiming to make it a treble of doubles next term, but restoring themselves back at the top of Europe's elite by winning the Champions League remains the main target for Enrique & Co.
Barca have already defeated Celtic and Leicester City during their pre-season programme; the latter a rather mixed affair which saw a truly dominant first-half display before a more lax showing after the restart which allowed their opponents to score twice. Then came the 4-0 reverse to Liverpool, which really did come as a surprise for a side not used to being on the end of such heavy defeats - pre-season or not!
Enrique has looked to strengthen his side during the off-season by bringing in a handful of new additions, including Andre Gomes (£30m, Valencia); Samuel Umtiti (£21m, Lyon); and Lucas Digne (£14m, PSG). All three can add something to this side, but will we see any of those new faces this evening? Well Umtiti and Gomes have been in training this week with one eye on this Sampdoria friendly, so there is a good chance we may do.
TEAM NEWS!
BARCELONA XI: Bravo; S.Roberto, Mathieu, Pique, Digne; Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta; Arda, Suarez, Messi
SAMPDORIA XI: Viviano; De Silvestri, Silvestre, Castan, Regini; Eramo, Torreira, Linetty; Schick; Muriel, Quagliarella
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Claudio Bravo has been given the nod in goal for Barcelona this evening. That battle to land the No.1 jersey really will be intriguing over the coming weeks, with both men stating their intention to play week-in week-out. It was Marc-Andre ter Stegen who was selected from the off against Liverpool, but his rival for the gloves comes in tonight.
Lucas Digne is also selected at full-back for his first appearance at the Camp Nou as a Barcelona player. Umtiti and Gomes are not included in the squad, meanwhile, but Munir is among the subs and will be desperate to add to his impressive summer goal-scoring tally at some point. Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are once more given the nod up top, with Arda Turan likely to join them in attack.
It was a tough afternoon for Barcelona at a sold-out Wembley Stadium on Saturday afternoon, as they crumbled in a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool. That was surely a one-off, though, and they have a chance tonight to show that they are well on course to defend their La Liga and Copa del Rey crowns in front of their own supporters at the cathedral that is the Camp Nou.
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DID YOU KNOW? So as touched upon a little earlier, the Joan Gamper Trophy is up for grabs for the winning side this evening. This annual fixture is held every summer here; a competition that Barcelona have unsurprisingly dominated since it was first played back in 1966. The Catalans have won each of the last three, in fact, since losing to Sampdoria of all sides four years ago. The Blucerchiati are one of 11 clubs to snatch the title from their opponents.
Can Sampdoria match their achievement of 2012 and beat Barcelona on their opponents' own patch? They finished 15th in Serie A last season and are expected to finish around about the same position this time around. The Blucerchiati ended their campaign with three defeats on the spin, mind, conceding 10 goals and scoring none during that run - five of those coming in a thrashing at the hands of Juventus on the final day.
Sampdoria have so far beaten Chievo during their pre-season programme and drew with Malaga last time out in normal time. It may seem like a short summer schedule but after tonight attention turns to competitive competition, as Marco Giampaolo looks to get his side past Bassano Virtus in the opening round of the Coppa Italia on Sunday afternoon. That is followed by their Serie A opener against Empoli on August 21.
There is no denying that all the focus will be on Barcelona tonight, however, as they no doubt look to put on a show for their supporters. Boss Enrique has just been speaking to supporters ahead of the match, saying: "We start the season with new, exciting challenges and we will need your support." As ever when it comes to Barca, winning all three major trophies - the Copa del Rey, La Liga and Champions League - will be the aim.
PREDICTION! A repeat of Saturday afternoon's result against Liverpool could be on the cards this evening - albeit a straight reversal. Barcelona are near enough at full-strength tonight bar the glaring omission of Neymar - currently at the Olympics with national side Brazil - and they are up against a side that lost each of their last three league outings without scoring last term. 4-0.
Both sets of players are now out on the field of play, walking past the Gamper Trophy on their way down the tunnel. The start of the new season is now right on the horizon for both, with Sampdoria four days away from a Coppa Italia tie against minnows Bassano Virtus and Barcelona facing a double-header with Sevilla over the next week in the Spanish Super Cup.
🔥🔥 #FCBlive #GamperFCB pic.twitter.com/A58sZR93Qn — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 10, 2016
KICKOFF! We are up and running at the Camp Nou, where Barcelona have made the most explosive of starts. Iniesta found plenty of space, with the ball being worked in and around the box before Digne blasted a yard or so wide.
SAVE! Well the message from Enrique is quite clear - get at Sampdoria and bag a few goals. Digne, who has already blasted wide in the opening stages, picks out Turan to nod the ball right at Viviano in goal.
Another big change for Barcelona - arguably their third already inside the opening five minutes of the game. After carving the visitors open, Suarez looked to square to Messi but put a little too much on his pass and the little maestro could not tap home.
Sampdoria now get forward and put a dangerous cross into the box which somehow comes to nothing. Tell you what, we should see a fair few goals tonight at this rate - neither side willing to sit back at any point in a very fast-paced start.
Things have just about quietened down at the Camp Nou at long last. Sampdoria enjoying plenty of the ball over the past couple of minutes but have been unable to threat it through, forcing Quagliarella into shooting wide from long range.
Three attempts on goal so far, then - two for Barcelona and one for Sampdoria - but just one on target. Turan headed right at Viviano early on after being picked out by home debutant Digne's cross from the left-hand side.
Rakitic is given a chance to take down a pass and look up, with the Croatian then deciding to take on the shot from range. It was rather scuffed in the end; the ball ending a yard or two wide of Viviano's goal. Rakitic almost waltzed right through from the next attack, but there was just too much on the ball.
SHOT! Plenty of trademark quick-paced passing from Barca in these opening 15 minutes but, an opening flurry aside, they have been unable to truly trouble Viviano. Iniesta nearly rectified that when dribbling into the box and sending the ball into the side-netting.
GOAL! BARCELONA 1-0 SAMPDORIA (LUIS SUAREZ)
A trademark Barcelona goal to open the scoring at the Camp Nou. That Lionel Messi provided an assist via an overhead kick says it all, really. Iniesta lofted the ball over the top for Messi to do his thing, helping it into a central area for Suarez to nod home his second goal of pre-season.
Barcelona good value for that early lead on home soil, and they are really beginning to enjoy themselves now. Confidence and momentum is a key factor at this late stage of pre-season, of course, with one eye now on that double-header with Sevilla over the next week.
GOAL! BARCELONA 2-0 SAMPDORIA (LIONEL MESSI)
Barcelona playing some scintillating football at times, but questions must be asked of their opponents' defending. Rakitic lifts another simple ball over the top for Messi to latch on to, with the forward keeping his cool and waiting for Viviano to go to ground before stepping the other way and rolling the ball home.
GOAL! BARCELONA 2-1 SAMPDORIA (LUIS MURIEL)
I said a few minutes into the game that goals were pretty much guaranteed on the basis of the all-out attacking play. Well we have three inside 23 minutes and the scoring will surely not stop there. Some nice combination play saw Muriel slipped through, and the Sampdoria man made no mistake when tucking home to pull one back.
Rakitic does well to keep the ball in with a back-heel flick, which Suarez almost made the most of when drilling the ball drilled into the side-netting. No sign of the tempo of this game dropping any time soon - Barcelona in particular just putting together wave after wave of attack.
Two men look to take the ball off Messi, but the Barca forward ends up booting one of them right in the leg. Torreira has been receiving some treatment for the past couple of minutes now, with a substitution being readied by Giampaolo - no risks need to be taken.
Play now finally back up and running after that three-minute delay. Half-hour now gone at the Camp Nou and we are about to see Barcelona's first changes of the evening. Rather frustrating, in truth - it has been a very enjoyable opening 30 minutes in Catalonia.
BARCELONA SUBS! Mascherano and Masip are brought on for Bravo and Mathieu. Masip the third-choice keeper at the Camp Nou this season, so he will need to make a major impression this evening if he is to force his way up the standings.
GOAL! BARCELONA 3-1 SAMPDORIA (LIONEL MESSI)
A wonderful free kick from Lionel Messi helps restore Barcelona's two-goal advantage in the Gamper Trophy. Viviano expected the Barca forward to go with his right, but he fooled everyone by taking it on with his left and picking out the bottom corner of the net. Great goal!
SAMPDORIA SUB! The visitors forced into making their first change of the evening - Torreira failing to shake off that injury to his leg, with Palombo on in his place eight minutes before the midway point.
Messi slipped through yet again having kept himself just about onside, but his pullback for Roberto is cut out before the full-back can convert it. Barcelona can quite easily double their goal tally this evening if they continue at this rate over the remaining 50 minutes.
Roberto with a rather rash challenge, which could well have seen a yellow card dished out had it been a competitive game. The free kick is half-cleared by Mascherano, before the ball is blasted well wide of the goal. Four minutes of this entertaining half left to play.
A bit of a passing exercise for Barca now, as they work their way out of trouble at the back. A really impressive showing from the hosts in this first half, with just one blip - leading to Sampdoria's goal - letting them down.
HALF TIME: BARCELONA 3-1 SAMPDORIA
Barcelona take a comfortable 3-1 lead into the half-time interval against Sampdoria in their final friendly of the summer. Lionel Messi scored his first and second goals of pre-season, while Luis Suarez bagged a goal of his own in what was a very entertaining first half.
The Catalan giants made a real explosive start to the contest, knowing that they had to put on a positive showing following their heavy defeat to Liverpool last time out. Arda Turan was the first to test Emiliano Viviano, heading the ball into a nice position for the former Arsenal goalkeeper to save after a cross from the left. The gaps continued to open up at the back for Barca to capitalise on, but the final ball was just lacking on a few occasions.
The opening goal arrived 16 minutes in when Andres Iniesta lofted the ball over the top of Sampdoria's defence, allowing Lionel Messi to provide an audacious overhead kick assist for Luis Suarez, who nodded home his second goal of pre-season to get the ball rolling. Sampdoria's backline again rather fell asleep for the second soon after - Rakitic this time lifting the ball over the top for Messi to coolly round Emiliano and tap home.
Sampdoria were back in the game less than two minutes later, however, when some smart link-up play saw Luis Muriel played through on goal with only Claudio Bravo to beat. The Colombian striker made no mistake, tucking home to give his side a lifeline. But Messi restored Barca's two-goal advantage on 34 minutes thanks to a fine free kick, as he lofted the ball over the wall and into the bottom-left corner.
Lionel Messi (2) and Luis Suarez have both got their name on the scoresheet in the first half at the Camp Nou. Neither are expected to remain on the field for the duration, but will Luis Enrique keep his front-two duo on for the early stages of the second period?
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RESTART! We are back underway at the Camp Nou, where some more changes have been made. Alvarez and Barreto are on for the visitors; Vidal has replaced Sergi Roberto at full-back for the hosts.
YELLOW CARD! Regini is booked for catching Rakitic early in the second half, halting the Croatian's run in the process. Vidal sends a fine cross into the box which Suarez almost managed to slide home for goal number four.
Five minutes into the half and Barcelona are still the team on top. Not as many changes made by the hosts at the interval as expected, but Luis Enrique will likely make his second batch of changes now on the hour mark.
Messi gets his head onto a cross from out wide but can only pick out the hands of Viviano. Enrique will want to see his side add to their tally in this second half, having carved their opponents open with relative ease in the opening 45 minutes.
Suarez almost pouncing on a weak pass at the back, but Sampdoria just about get away with it. The visitors were unable to build on their goal in the first half and have created next to nothing since conceding a third 34 minutes in.
Plenty of attacking intent from the hosts, but they are just unable to create any real clear-cut openings at the moment. Sampdoria look to break once intercepting, only for Mascherano to charge in and win the ball before lofting a pass out of play.
BARCELONA SUBS! We are approaching the hour mark, which means a raft of changes for the hosts. Iniesta is among those to depart, meaning Messi takes on the captaincy, while Ter Stegen is on for Matip to become the third Barcelona keeper to gain some minutes tonight.
Umtiti is also on for Pique, as is Gomes, despite both not being listed on the team sheet. A chance for both of those new faces to impress, then, much like Digne already has at full-back on his home debut for the club.
Barca completely dominating this match in terms of possession, although they are still unable to create too many openings. This second half has been rather flat, in fact, with very little for either keeper to deal with as we enter the final 28 minutes.
OFF THE BAR! Well just as I mention that the quality has lowered a little in front of goal, Turan tries his luck with a lofted shot from inside the box which comes back off the crossbar. Viviano was beaten there, but thankfully for his the shot had just a tad too much on it.
OFF THE POST! Messi is the latest Barcelona player to take on a shot, sending his latest effort a fair way wide of the target in the end, before Denis Suarez copies Turan in sending a post back off the frame of the goal.
Sampdoria trying to work their way forward in an attempt to pull back a second goal, which really would make things interesting for the remainder. Barca still comfortable at the moment, though, and looking the more likely to bag a third of the night.
SAMPDORIA SUBS! The visitors have made some further changes of their own now with 20 minutes of the game left to play. Djuricic is among those to come on, replacing De Silvestri who I believe picked up a knock a few moments ago.
Eight changes made by Barcelona in total now, but still Messi and Suarez remain on the field. Those two are the key men around these parts, of course, with even more importance placed on them now in the temporary absence of Neymar in that forward line.
BARCELONA SUB! Another break in play for Barca to make a change - Messi being replaced by Munir. The Argentinian ace will be happy with his performance overall, having scored two and set one up.
GOAL! BARCELONA 3-2 SAMPDORIA (ANTE BUDIMIR)
Sampdoria score their second goal of the evening from what is pretty much their second attacking move of the evening. The ball was crossed into the box and, what should have been a fairly simple clearance for Barcelona's centre-backs, ended with Budimir chesting down and belting past Ter Stegen.
Barca's play just been disrupted by those numerous changes which is to be expected, really. Sampdoria now in with a real chance of stealing a draw from this game, despite being second best pretty much from the word go at the Camp Nou.
A very, very flat second half overall. Sampdoria will not care too much as they have capitalised to pull themselves right back in the game but, with less than 10 minutes to go, the goal-scoring action looks to be at an end in Catalonia.
Munir taking a real clattering when looking to break into the box. He earns his side a free kick on the edge of the area, but ideally the forward wants to bag himself another pre-season goal to make the most of Neymar's absence.
Denis Suarez lofts the ball into the box for Sampdoria to head away. Barcelona looking no likely to add to their tally at the moment; Sampdoria simply doing all they have to to keep their opponents at bay in this Gamper Trophy clash.
So just three minutes to go now and, much like this half in general, there is not a great deal happening. Barcelona have completely dominated possession, particularly in the final third, but chances really have been few and far between since the restart.
SAVE! Luis Suarez forces replacement keeper Puggionio into a fine save in the dying stages of the match. That would have been a good way to round things off, but the Uruguayan will have to do with just the one goal for the night.
FULL TIME: BARCELONA 3-2 SAMPDORIA
The referee blows for full time, meaning Barcelona win the Joan Gamper Trophy for a fourth year in succession. Sampdoria gave a good account for themselves overall, scoring from their only real attacks of the match, but in the end Barca were rather comfortable winners at the Camp Nou.
Well that concludes Sport Mole's live coverage of events in Catalonia this evening. Our next text updates on Barcelona will be this coming Sunday when the La Liga and Copa del Rey holders face Sevilla in the annual Spanish curtain-raiser. See you then!
Written by
Daniel Lewis
Daniel Lewis
