Lionel Messi matched Cristiano Ronaldo's hat-trick
earlier in the day Barcelona turned on the style to
dismiss in-form Atletico Madrid 5-0 at the Nou Camp.
With the Rojiblancos having scored eight goals in their
last two outings and Barcelona labouring against Valencia
in midweek, some thought a shock may have been on the
cards.
But Pep Guardiola`s men laid on a performance reminiscent
of the one that saw them hit Osasuna for eight last
Saturday, with Messi joined on the scoresheet by David
Villa, while Joao Miranda also put through his own goal.
Messi`s treble saw him go stride-for-stride with Ronaldo
who scored three for Real Madrid against Rayo Vallecano,
and was his 12th hat-trick for the club.
His side also managed to keep man-of-the-moment Radamel
Falcao quiet, with the Colombia striker having scored
six goals in his previous three games.
Barca were keen to stamp their mark on the game from
the off and they did, although they had to watch Tiago
hit their bar before they could.
With nine minutes gone, Xavi`s crossfield pass was
brought down on the chest by Villa who then slipped
in past Miranda and finished across the body of Thibaut
Courtois.
It was a horror night for the on-loan Chelsea stopper,
who then rushed out to meet a Messi shot, only to see
his save fly into the body of the back-tracking Mirando
and then back into the net.
Messi was offside in the build-up to the goal, but
such was the speed of Barcelona`s play that the linesman
could have been forgiven for missing it.
In teaming rain, two became three in the 26th minute
when Messi took a throw by the right corner flag, got
the ball back off Thiago and then skipped past three
opponents before beating Courtois at his near post.
Almost a spectator as Messi shone, Cesc Fabregas hit
the bar with a chip, before his second-half pass sent
Messi clear, only for Courtois to keep him out.
The keeper then denied Villa but was fortunate to see
Messi off-target when he spilled a Thiago cross.
It was only a temporary halt to the flow of goals,
though, as with 12 minutes left Messi ghosted across
the edge of the box and hit low across Courtois and
into the bottom corner.
He was not done there either, taking Villa`s pass to
the left of the goal and drilling through Courtois`
legs to put the seal on another memorable night.
|
