- An inexperienced Barcelona side missing Messi cruised to victory on Tuesday
- Dest completed a flowing move with a near-post finish to open the scoring
- Braithwaite soon doubled their lead with his first goal in the Champions League
- Braithwaite struck again from penalty spot before Griezmann added a late fourth
- Mental Health and Psychosocial considerations during the COVID-19
No Lionel Messi, no problem – Martin Braithwaite assisted one and scored two as Barcelona qualified for the Champions League knockout stages with a 4-0 win over Dynamo Kiev.
The former Middlesbrough and Leganes forward, who was a shock emergency signing last February for Barcelona after injuries to Ousmane Dembele and Luis Suarez has been given little game time by Ronald Koeman.
But making his Champions League debut with Griezmann starting on the bench and Messi watching from home in Barcelona he led an almost unrecognizable team to an easy victory.
Sergino Dest got the first becoming the first United States player to score for Barcelona with the goal on 52 minutes.
Braithwaite made it 2-0 by scoring from close range at the back post after Oscar Mingueza had flicked the ball on with a clever header. The 21-year-old B-team centre-back was in the team to replace the injured Gerard Pique and was impressive in the win.
Braithwaite got the third when, diving for a header, he was pushed in the back by Denys Popov. The Dane had no doubts that he wanted to take the spot kick and he put it in the corner past Bushchan.
In injury time Griezmann scored the fourth after Carles Aleña and Jordi Alba had worked an opening down the left.
Barcelona are in the last-16 once more. Now to the league and remedying that 13th place in the table.
