Barcelona 3-2 Sampdoria: Messi, Suarez shine in Gamper win

FC Barcelona succeeded in beating Italian side Sampdoria 3-2 in the 2016 Joan Gamper Trophy game at the Camp Nou with goals from Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, the former scoring a brace.

Coach Luis Enrique named the full first team squad for the game but could only select 11 in the starting XI. Claudio Bravo started in goal while Mathieu partnered Gerard Pique in central defence with Sergi Roberto and Lucas Digne featuring as right and left fullbacks respectively. Busquets, Iniesta and Rakitic started in midfield, while Arda Turan joined Messi and Suarez in attack.

The first team players along with the new signings and captains were presented to the crowd and then kickoff.

Barça controlled the game from the start and looked much better than they did against Liverpool. The Catalans started creating chances from the first minute with Lucas Digne, Arda Turan and Iniesta coming close to opening the scoring.

The goal arrived after 15 minutes and it was a beauty. A sweet pass from Iniesta tore the Sampdoria defence apart to find Lionel Messi who controlled the ball with his chest and gave an acrobatic assist to Luis Suarez who was free to head the ball home and give Barça the lead.

It became 2-0 five minutes later and it was another beauty of a goal from the man himself, Lionel Messi. Luis Suarez did well to put the ball back in play on the right and Rakitic sent a sweet pass that met Messi in the box and left the Argentine 1-on-1 with the keeper. Messi coolly controlled the ball and rounded the goalkeeper, slotting the ball into an empty net to make it 2-0. It was his first goal of the preseason and meant he was one goal away from becoming the joint top scorer in the history of the Gamper.

Sampdoria pulled one back two minutes later. Iniesta lost the ball in close to the area and Sampdoria attackers pulled a string of marvellous one touch passes to cut through a poor Barça defence that left Muriel one-on-one with Bravo and the player didn't make a mistake, 2-1.

It didn't take much time before Messi made it 3-1. The player got a free kick close to Sampdoria box and did well to curl it inside the net, leaving the goalkeeper without a chance. It ended 3-1 after 45 minutes with Barça looking really good. The goal meant Messi is now the Gamper joint top scorer with 7 strikes. He must have impressed Argentina coach Bauza who was in the stands.

There were a number of changes in the second half with Mascherano and Masip already replacing Mathieu and Bravo in the first. All new Barça signings featured including Sergi Samper. Aleix Vidal came on for Sergi Roberto at half time while Ter Stegen, Umtiti, Camara, Andre Gomes and Denis Suarez came in for Masip, Pique, Digne, Iniesta and Rakitic after 60 minutes before Samper and Munir came on for Busquets and Messi 15 minutes later.

However, Barça couldn't add to their tally despite hitting the woodwork on two occasions with Arda and Denis striking the post. It was Sampdoria who ended the scoring that is to Budimir who made it 3-2 on 77 minutes.