European Champions League

Borussia Mönchengladbach 1 - Barcelona 2

Mönchengladbach: Sommer; Korb, Christensen, Elvedi, Wendt; Kramer, Dahoud; Traore, Stindl (Hahn 83’), Thorgan Hazard (Patrick Herrman 80’); Raffael (Johnson 48‘). 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Piqué, Mascherano, Jordi Alba; Rakitic (Arda Turan 59’), Busquets, Iniesta; Paco Alcácer (Rafinha 54’), Luis Suárez, Neymar. 4-3-3.

Goals:
0-1. 34. Hazard. Steered shot past Ter Stegen after Dahoud passed ball across.
1-1. 65. Arda Turan. Turned shot into roof of net after Neymar lifted pass over.
1-2. 83. Piqué. From close to goal after Sommer spilled shot from Luis Suárez.

Yellow cards: Mascherano 63’, Piqué 70’, Neymar 91’.

Barcelona came back from a goal down to beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-2, a result which takes them clear top of their mini-league after Celtic and Manchester City drew in the other group game. In the absence of Messi, Luis Enrique gave a run out to Paco Alcácer, but the new boy was unable to link up with his strike partners, and he was closed down when presented with a chance early on. Neymar and Rakitic did bring good saves out of Sommer, and Luis Suárez sliced a shot wide. But Piqué was lucky to be let off a possible penalty for hand ball, and with ten minutes to go to the break the locals went ahead after Raffael won the ball off Busquets, Dahoud passing across for Thorgan Hazard to score. Suárez and Rakitic tested Sommer again either side of half time, but Luis Enrique decided it was time for a change, bringing on Rafinha and Arda Turan. That did the trick, and within five minutes Turan made it all square after Neymar passed over the top of the defence. A few minutes later Sommer spilled a long shot from Luis Suárez from a Neymar corner, and Piqué reacted quicker than anyone to bundle the ball in to the net, and Turan could have added a third had the local keeper not got a fingertip to touch his lob over the bar.