Canada’s Alphonso Davies shines in Bayern’s Champions League Barca beatdown

LISBON, Portugal — Canadian teenager Alphonso Davies had a night to remember Friday as Bayern Munich put Barcelona to the sword in a lopsided 8-2 Champions League quarterfinal win.

In a week when forward Jonathan David’s move to France’s Lille erased Davies’ Canadian-record transfer fee to Bayern, Davies reminded the soccer world of his star quality on a big stage.

The 19-year-old fullback set up Bayern’s fifth goal in the 63rd minute with a sensational run down the left flank. Davies beat three Barca players, befuddling Portuguese international Nelson Semedo before racing past several more defenders into the penalty box and sending a perfect pass to Joshua Kimmich to slot in from close range.

“Best left back in the world!” tweeted Canadian international Ashley Lawrence. 

“Proud to see a Canadian shine in @ChampionsLeague @AlphonsoDavies,” tweeted Dwayne De Rosario, the Canadian men’s all-time leading scorer. 

The wide-open game gave the young Canadian an up-close and personal look at Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi with the Argentine star spending most of his time on Davies’ side of the pitch.

Prior to the match, Davies said he had had a laugh with his parents on the phone — saying they couldn’t believe he was going to play against one of his idols growing up.

The 33-year-old Messi took Davies down in the 11th minute, rewarding the young Canadian with a pat on the head after helping him back to his feet.

Davies whipped in a fine cross a minute later that the Barcelona defence had to clear.

The Bayern fullback got a taste of Messi’s skills on the ball in the 20th minute when he was one of three players Messi dribbled through before firing a shot on goal.

Up 4-1 after 31 minutes, Bayern had another chance soon after but no one spotted an unmarked Davies on the left.

Davies, the Bundesliga rookie of the year, has excelled in Champions League play, turning heads with a fine performance in late February in Bayern’s 3-0 win at Chelsea in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie.

The Canadian was booked in the 52nd minute Friday for a robust challenge on Chilean Arturo Vidal. And he went down in the 66th minute after a clash of heads going for the ball.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2020.

The Canadian Press