Athletic club 2-3 Barcelona: Lionel Messi masterclass secures comeback win again

Athletic Bilbao 2-3 Barcelona: Lionel Messi masterclass secures comeback victory once more as talisman adds brace to Pedri’s early equaliser

  • Inaki Williams opened the scoring for the hosts after just three minutes played
  • Barca fought back and leveled the scoreline on 14 minutes via youngster Pedri
  • Talisman Lionel Messi then put Ronald Koeman’s side ahead late in the first half
  • Messi then crashed a third off the underside of the crossbar on 62-minute mark
  • Iker Muniain scored a late consolation goal for Athletic in the 90th minute

The Lionel Messi show is back on the road. Barcelona’s form away from home has been poor this season but with their number 10 back to his best there was no stopping them at San Mames in this 3-2 win.

He set-up the first and scored the second and third. He also hit the post twice and would have had a hat-trick bar a minimal offside against him.

He now has nine goals and is joint top of the goalscoring charts along with his old friend Luis Suarez among others. And there is a smile on his face that even a late misplaced pass that gifted Athletic Bilbao their second goal could not wipe away.

Lionel Messi crashed the ball off the underside of the crossbar to  score Barcelona's third goal

Lionel Messi crashed the ball off the underside of the crossbar to  score Barcelona’s third goal

The club talisman was mobbed by his team-mates after securing the comeback victory

The club talisman was mobbed by his team-mates after securing the comeback victory

It was Messi who had got Barca back ahead, slotting the ball through bodies to make it 2-1

It was Messi who had got Barca back ahead, slotting the ball through bodies to make it 2-1

The Argentine acknowledged his team-mates after getting on the score-sheet yet again

The Argentine acknowledged his team-mates after getting on the score-sheet yet again

The renewed joy has a lot to do with finding a set of new friends. 

PLAYER RATINGS:  

Athletic Bilbao:  

Simon 5; Capa 7, Martinez 6, Nunez 6, Yuri 6 (Balenziaga 31); De Marcos 7 (Berenguer 65), Vencedor 6 (Dani Garcia 65), Vesga 6, Muniain 7; Williams 7, Raul Garcia 6 (Morcillo 80)

Barcelona:  

Ter Stegen 7; Dest 7 (Mingueza 75), Araujo 7, Lenglet 7, Alba 8; Busquets 6, De Jong 7; Dembele 8 (Braithwaite 75), Pedri 9, Griezmann 8; Messi 9

Sergino Dest buzzed down the right like a young Dani Alaves, Frenkie de Jong made selfless runs around him in midfield and Pedri danced the same dance and sang the same song hitting all the same notes – their harmonies will be music to Ronald Koeman’s ears and to every Barcelona supporter who wants Messi to be happy enough to stay at the club next June.

Before the happy football came the horror start. Under new coach Marcelino Athletic flew out of the blocks and no one more so than sprinter striker Inaki Williams raced on to a pass and cut inside Clement Lenglet before shooting past Marc Andre ter Stegen.

Barcelona needed to adjust and they did exactly that closing the space both in front and behind their defence. Then it was left to the forwards to turn the game on his head.

‘Messi’s overall play and his desire is always there,’ said Koeman but tonight the goals were there too. He is so important to us’

Pedri nodded them level on 14 minutes when Lionel Messi picked out Frenkie de Jong’s clever run and the Dutchman nodded the ball back to the 18-year-old to score.

Teenage sensation Pedri had leveled for Barca after scoring from close range on 14 minutes

Teenage sensation Pedri had leveled for Barca after scoring from close range on 14 minutes

The Spanish starlet was commended by Messi for his goal which got Barca back in the tie

The Spanish starlet was commended by Messi for his goal which got Barca back in the tie

It took just three minutes in the match for Inaki Williams to slot home and put his side ahead

It took just three minutes in the match for Inaki Williams to slot home and put his side ahead

On 38 minutes Messi put Barcelona in front from a Pedri’s brilliant back-heeled pass. It was like watching Messi and Andres Iniesta together. And if that was a throwback to better times for Barcelona then the third goal was pure vintage.

Jordi Alba and Antoine Griezmann swappaed passes and Messi ghosted through a crowd of red and white shirts to score off the underside of the crossbar.

The home side pulled a goal back on 90 minutes through Iker Muniain and it was Messi’s loose pass that went straight to Alex Berenguer who provided the assist.

Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen got down low but was unable to prevent the effort

Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen got down low but was unable to prevent the effort

Williams pointed to the skies after Athletic got off to the perfect start, but the tide soon turned

Williams pointed to the skies after Athletic got off to the perfect start, but the tide soon turned

That mistake looked to still be on his mind when he received an embrace from Koeman on the final whistle. Koeman added: ‘The final result is a little short because we were almost always on top. I am very happy with the result but also the way it was achieved.’

Barcelona now trail second placed Real Madrid by five points having played the same number of games. Atletico Madrid remain top seven points clear of Barcelona but with two games in hand. 

Perhaps more important than all that – Barcelona look like Barcelona and Messi, new contract or no new contract, looks happy.

source: dailymail.co.uk