Match ends, Barcelona 3, Ajax 1.
Barcelona 3-1 Ajax
- From the section European Football
Barcelona warmed up for Saturday's El Clasico against Real Madrid with a comfortable Champions League win against Dutch title holders Ajax.
In-form Neymar scored his seventh goal in his last five Barca appearances to put the Spanish leaders ahead, before Lionel Messi converted Andres Iniesta's accurate pass to double the tally.
With this weekend's trip to the Bernabeu in mind, Luis Enrique withdrew Neymar, Messi and Andres Iniesta in the second half as Barca began to relax.
That allowed Ajax to nick a late consolation through teenage forward Anwar El Ghazi, before Barca's own young substitute Sandro Ramirez, who replaced Neymar, killed off any hope of a dramatic Dutch comeback.
Messi's strike put him within two of Spanish striker Raul, who is the Champions League's all-time leading scorer with 71 goals.
But the Argentina captain missed several other chances to move even closer to the Real Madrid legend as Barcelona dominated a poor Ajax side.
The Dutch champions offered little threat against the Catalans who are top of the Spanish league after eight matches under new boss Enrique.
Messi and Neymar posed danger throughout as Ajax, who had taken two points from their opening two Group F matches, were pinned back in their own half.
It was an unhappy return for Ajax coach Frank de Boer, who played alongside Enrique at the Nou Camp between 1999 and 2003.
His side are now four points adrift of second-placed Barcelona, who bounced back from their 3-2 defeat at Paris St-Germain.
The French champions lead the group at the halfway stage after netting a late 1-0 win at Cypriot side Apoel Nicosia.
Line-ups
Barcelona
- 1ter Stegen
- 22Alves da Silva
- 3Piqué
- 15Bartra
- 18Alba
- 4Rakitic
- 14Mascherano
- 8IniestaSubstituted forRafinhaat 76'minutes
- 7PedroBooked at 80mins
- 10MessiSubstituted forEl Haddadiat 66'minutes
- 11NeymarSubstituted forRamírezat 62'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Montoya
- 6Hernández
- 12Rafinha
- 13Bravo
- 26Samper
- 29Ramírez
- 31El Haddadi
Ajax
- 22Cillessen
- 2van RhijnBooked at 69mins
- 3VeltmanBooked at 32mins
- 4Moisander
- 26Viergever
- 16Andersen
- 32ZimlingSubstituted forRiedewaldat 56'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 10Klaassen
- 20Schöne
- 9SigthorssonSubstituted forEl Ghaziat 73'minutes
- 11KishnaSubstituted forMilikat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Duarte
- 12Riedewald
- 19Milik
- 21El Ghazi
- 24Denswil
- 33Boer
- 34Menig
- Referee:
- William Collum
- Attendance:
- 79,357
Match Stats
Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamAjax
- Possession
- Home62%
- Away38%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away1
- Corners
- Home3
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away17
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Barcelona 3, Ajax 1.
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 3, Ajax 1. Sandro Ramírez (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Rafinha.
Attempt missed. Dani Alves (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Niklas Moisander (Ajax).
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Nick Viergever.
Booking
Jaïro Riedewald (Ajax) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Jaïro Riedewald (Ajax).
Attempt blocked. Anwar El Ghazi (Ajax) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 2, Ajax 1. Anwar El Ghazi (Ajax) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner.
Attempt blocked. Arkadiusz Milik (Ajax) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jaïro Riedewald.
Foul by Dani Alves (Barcelona).
Lasse Schöne (Ajax) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt missed. Dani Alves (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left from a direct free kick.
Dani Alves (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Lasse Schöne (Ajax).
Attempt missed. Rafinha (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Lucas Andersen.
Attempt blocked. Munir El Haddadi (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Marc-André ter Stegen.
Booking
Pedro (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Pedro (Barcelona).
Lucas Andersen (Ajax) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Jordi Alba (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jaïro Riedewald (Ajax).
Sandro Ramírez (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ricardo van Rhijn (Ajax).
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Rafinha replaces Andrés Iniesta.
Attempt missed. Davy Klaassen (Ajax) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Anwar El Ghazi with a cross.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Ajax. Anwar El Ghazi replaces Kolbeinn Sigthorsson.
Delay in match Gerard Piqué (Barcelona) because of an injury.
Attempt saved. Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Andrés Iniesta.
Booking
Ricardo van Rhijn (Ajax) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Munir El Haddadi (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ricardo van Rhijn (Ajax).
Attempt blocked. Lasse Schöne (Ajax) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Foul by Gerard Piqué (Barcelona).
Arkadiusz Milik (Ajax) wins a free kick in the attacking half.