Barcelona vs Slavia Prague: Five things we learned from the Champions League draw at Camp Nou

La Liga side hosted Czech outfit in Group F fixture, which ended as a goalless draw

(AP)

Goals or not, Messi is still a joy to watch

On 35 minutes, Lionel Messi picked up the ball on the halfway line, out on the right, and set about one of those trademarks runs – feet ablur, eyes manically calculating the ever decreasing distance to goal and the sharpening and softening angles between boot, keeper and net.

He flitted across the edge of the box, tempting challenges before bending an effort towards the top corner, rattling the bar as a helpless Ondrej Kolar watched on in the visitors’ goal.

While the lack of a bulging net denied us a classic Messi moment, the diminutive Argentine ™ still had the Camp Nou crowd and this writer on their feet.

At 32, Messi is as capable of taking the breath away as ever. “I’m a CR7 fan, but respect for that.”

And Barca rely too heavily on him...

Messi was at the heart of almost everything the hosts did. While forwards Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele offer different skillsets, neither has been able to implement them properly in their time at the club so far.

Ansu Fati is just 17, but could be a player around whom the La Liga side build teams in years to come. For the moment though, the integral component is still Messi, to a worrying extent.

Results and performances cannot be this reliant on the 32-year-old.

(Getty (Getty)

Slavia’s shotstopper shines

While Messi’s nearly moment left Kolar static, the goalkeeper was anything but throughout the rest of the first half, demonstrating his sharp reflexes to produce a fine stop each time Barcelona managed a shot on target.

His most notable saves came from a close-range Gerard Pique header off of a Barca corner with half-time nearing, and to deny Messi from just a few yards out in the second half.

In doing so, Kolar gave Slavia a genuine chance of getting a result in the second half.

Thankfully for Kolar, his teammates were able to repay his efforts by earning the draw.

Visitors show no fear

Jindrich Trpisovsky’s side sat deep in organised banks for most of the game, but make no mistake, they came to win.

Slavia's Peter Olayinka attempts to finish a move up the left flank (AP)

The Czech outfit looked to break out wide as often as possible and seemed to unnerve Barca with many of those eager counter-attacks. Peter Olayinka in particular was an ever-present outlet on the left wing, relishing every opportunity to stride forward.

One counter late in the first half turned into a patient, well-worked move that even led to the visitors finding the back of Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s net. Unfortunately for the Czech side, however, the flag was raised due to Jan Boril straying offside.

It’s going to be a long season for Barca

It was a slow start to the term for the defending champions before Messi returned from injury, and while the forward’s comeback was catalytic in Barca’s surge to the top of La Liga, that is a position they hold in fragile hands.

A 3-1 loss at Levante last weekend allowed rivals Real Madrid to draw level on points, with a rescheduled El Clasico still to be played, and an at times laboured performance against Slavia on Tuesday reaffirmed the notion that this is far from a complete Barca team.

They’ll likely win silverware this season – they always do – but no trophy will come easy.