Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Dani Alves, Piqué, Marc Bartra, Jordi Alba; Rakitic, Mascherano, Iniesta (Rafinha 76’); Pedro, Messi (Munir 67’), Neymar (Sandro 62’). 4-3-3.
Ajax: Cillessen; Van Rhijn, Veltman, Moisander, Viergever; Klaassen, Zimling (Riedewald 73’), Andersen; Schöne, Sigthorsson (El Ghazi 73’), Kishna (Milik 46’). 4-3-3.
Goals:
1-0. 07. Neymar. Picked up Messi pass and curled shot wide of Cillessen.
2-0. 24. Messi. Collected Iniesta through ball and forced shot past keeper.
2-1. 88. El Ghazi. Turned shot wide of Ter Stegen after Milik shot blocked.
3-1. 94. Sandro. Collected Rafinha pass and struck shot inside far post.
Barcelona took a big step towards a place in the knock-out stage after a 3-1 victory over Ajax on Tuesday night. Neymar picked up a pass from Messi to give the locals an early lead, and Messi missed a good chance before connecting with Iniesta’s through ball to force home the second. Pedro and Iniesta both went close again before the break, and Messi had a strike ruled out for offside soon after the restart, but the Dutch team had their chances as well, Van Rhijn shooting wide a couple of times either side of half time, and Piqué almost putting through his own net. With one eye on next Saturday’s “clásico”, Luis Enrique took off Neymar and then Messi, but although Rakitic tested Cillessen again, the visitors got one back when El Ghazi turned the ball past Ter Stegen after Milik’s shot was blocked. There were a few nervous moments for the home fans after that before Sandro collected a Rafinha pass to wrap things up in injury time.