Messi Nets Stunner As Barca Leapfrog Real
01 February, 2021
LaLiga
Result: FC Barcelona 2-1 Athletic Bilbao
Date: 31 January 2021
Venue: Camp Nou
FC Barcelona leapfrogged Real Madrid into second put on the LaLiga table after edging Athletic Bilbao 2-1 on Sunday night.
Lionel Messi returned from his suspension in the trouble of Martin Braithwaite even while Miralem Pjanic deputised for the suspended Sergio Busquets found in the Barcelona midfield.
Messi had an excellent chance to give Barca an early on lead found in the sixth minute after going clear on objective from Antoine Griezmann's move at the close to post but his side-footed shot was saved by shot-stopper Unai Simon.
The Argentine sooner or later gave Ronald Koeman's charges the lead in the 20th minute with a exceptional curling free-kick that still left Simon with no chance.
The hosts kept on putting Athletic under great pressure, as Messi sent Ousmane Dembele through about goal in the box but he blasted his diagonal strike over the bar right before the break.
Marcelino's males found the equaliser four minutes following the break after Jordi Alba deflected the ball into his own net while trying to sharp Raul Garcia's cross.
Pjanic came near restoring the business lead for Barca right before the hour-mark with a good glancing header inside six-lawn box from Griezmann's delivery that was first acrobatically parried away by SImon.
Griezmann eventually restored the Blaugrana's lead within the last one fourth of an hour with a good first-time finish into a clear net after a cut-back by Oscar Mingueza.
Ultimately, Koeman's men held on to clinch a 2-1 win that took them up to second on the log, nonetheless they sit 10 points behind leaders Atletico Madrid who've a game at hand.
Source: www.soccerladuma.co.za