Fútbol Americano
2019-2020 LaLiga
BAR 
5
Finalizado
 VLD
1
ESPN 4y

Lionel Messi inspires Barcelona past Real Valladolid to top of La Liga table

Lionel Messi scored twice and set up two more in Barcelona's table-topping 5-1 win over Real Valladolid at the Camp Nou on Tuesday night.

Barcelona went up early with a nice volley from Clement Lenglet, but Kiko bundled home on the quarter hour after Marc-Andre ter Stegen misplayed a free kick into the box to draw the visiting side level.

Two moments of Messi magic restored order at the Camp Nou with the Argentine playing a perfect ball into the penalty area for Arturo Vidal to volley home and then curling in an unstoppable free kick shortly after to give Barcelona a 3-1 lead at half-time.

Messi fired in Barca's fourth with a superb turn and finish from an Ivan Rakitic pass, firing a low line drive of a volley past Valladolid keeper Jordi Masip before setting Luis Suarez with another sublime assist to reach the final scoreline.

- ESPN La Liga fantasy: Sign up now!

"What can we say about Leo? I've run out of words," Barca manager Ernesto Valverde said. "Every time he gets the ball, something happens. It's good for us and bad for the opposition. He has a talent that no one else has. It's not just that he makes thing happen, he sees things no one else does. I'm convinced that what he sees cannot even be seen up in the stands.

"Every day he's better [after injury], which is obviously good for us. You can see that he's looking fresher. We're happy because he's feeling good and because we're enjoying how he's playing."

Messi's teammate Vidal was equally at a loss for words in describing the brilliance of the Argentine.

"Leo showed all the quality he has, when he's like that the team really feels it," said Vidal. "We see him every day and he surprises us every day, with the quality he has, he's from another planet.

"I have no words to talk about Leo, he's from another world, everything he does, he does well."

The No. 10 set up teenager Ansu Fati after the break, but the 16-year-old's shot was kept out by former Barca keeper Masip.

"They are very good and they don't let you off the hook, Messi worked wonders," said Valladolid captain Michel. "You just have to applaud [Messi] and enjoy him."

The win put Barcelona two-points clear at the top of the La Liga table ahead of surprise package Granada, who face Getafe on Thursday.

^ Al Inicio ^