UEFA Champions League: The best performers from match day 2

#3 Jordi Alba

Buoyant: Jordi Alba

Jordi Alba was not a vital part of the team during Luis Enrique’s tenure as a coach. With Neymar operating in the wing and demanding the ball time and again, Alba had very little to do and was often benched.

But since Neymar’s departure, Jordi Alba has been a very important link in the team. His partnership with Leo Messi has been among the best strike partnerships in Europe last season. Alba assisted almost 9 or 10 goals to Messi and Alba himself scored 2 goals of Messi’s assists.

The game against Tottenham was another stunning display by the Spanish full-back. Luis Enrique decided to not call Jordi Alba up for the international break, but Alba capitalising on the rest is pulling up brilliant performances. He made several runs down the left flank and linked well with Messi and Coutinho.

The first goal of the match came of Alba’s boisterous run which he superbly cut back towards Coutinho, while it was very tempting to go for goal. Even while defending he was quick to backtrack with the Spurs coming forward. Alba found Suarez lurking with a brilliant lobbed through ball which if controlled should have given Alba another assist.

Alba backtracked well even when Spurs hit their first goal on the counter, he had Lamela covered if Kane decided to pass inwards. But minutes after the goal from Spurs, Alba went straight through the left wing again, got Messi’s pass, moved forward and simply pulled the ball back for Messi to finish, like he’s done quite often. Alba’s final vital contribution in the game was yet another assist, to Lionel Messi. A pass inwards, beating everyone and dummied by Suarez fell straight to Messi, who finished with ease.

A hattrick of assists, a humongous amount of pace and the brilliant backtracking by Alba, earns him a top 3 place for the best performers. On the contrary, it is really about time that Antonella Roccuzzo began worrying about the Messi-Alba relationship.