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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
ALEX YOUNG

Lionel Messi warns of 'difficult' Anfield trip after Barcelona star stuns Liverpool at Camp Nou

Lionel Messi insists Liverpool remain alive in the Champions League despite his masterclass for Barcelona in Wednesday's semi-final first leg.

Luis Suarez, against his former club, scored his first goal of the season in the competition after ghosting past Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez to beat Alisson Becker in the first half.

Liverpool were much improved after the break and were guilty of profligacy in front of goal before Messi tucked home Suarez's rebounded shot into an empty net.

Just minutes later Messi produced a stunning free kick to beat Alisson from fully 35 yards for his 600th career goal to leave Liverpool facing a near-impossible second-leg mountain to climb.

"We know that it is not decided," Messi told Movistar.

"We still have to go to a very difficult stadium, but we are very happy."

Barcelona travel to Anfield on Tuesday as they look to reach their first Champions League final since winning the competition in 2015.

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