Levante 0-5 Barcelona: Messi, Messi and Messi
Messi set up goals for Pique and Suarez and scored hat-trick of his own
Another day, another show from Lionel Messi. Three goals, two assists, another team put to the sword.
LEV
0 ________________ 5
FCB
LINE UP
Levante UD
Oier; Jason, Cabaco, Postigo (Prcic, min. 68) Rober Pier, Toño; Campaña, Rochina (Coke, min. 68) Bardhi; Morales (c) y Boateng (Mayoral, min. 61).
FC Barcelona
Ter Stegen; Piqué, Lenglet, Vermaelen (Arthur, min. 51); Rakitic, Busquets, Arturo Vidal (Coutinho, min. 77), Jordi Alba; Messi (c), Dembélé (Denis Suárez, min. 80) y Luis Suárez.
Goles
0-1, min. 34: Luis Suárez remata desde el punto de penalti con la derecha tras un pase de Messi. 0-2, min. 42: Messi supera en la carrera a Postigo y bate a Oier con un remate por abajo. 0-3, min. 47: Messi remata a la red un pase de Alba por la banda izquierda. 0-4, min. 60: Messi, a placer tras un pase de Arturo Vidal. 0-5, min. 88: Piqué acompaña un contragolpe y marca a pase de Messi
Árbitro
González González (comité castellano leonés). Amonestó con cartulina amarilla a Dembélé (min. 17), Rober Pier (min. 23), Rakitic (min. 36), Jordi Alba (min. 44), Jason (min. 59). on (min. 59). Expulsó por roja directa a Cabaco (min. 76)
Incidencias
Partido de la 16ª jornada de LaLiga Santander, disputado en el estadio Ciutat de València ante 23.736 espectadores. Se guardó un minuto de silencio en memoria del ex jugador del Levante Blai Ozcoz.
Barcelona romped to victory against Levante at the Ciutat de Valencia with the Argentine star excelling.
Nelson Semedo’s knee injury meant coach Ernesto Valverde had to use a 3-5-2 formation with Ousmane Dembele at right wing-back, but it didn’t matter with Messi in this kind of form.
The Argentine dribbled across the area and crossed for Luis Suarez to open the scoring, a wonderful goal thanks to Messi’s sublime ball and Suarez’s lethal finish.
Then came Leo’s hat-trick. One before half-time after racing onto Sergio Busquets’ ball and tucking home with his right foot (hello, Pele).
Another just after, well-taken from the middle of the box, with a finish that he made look far easier than it was.
And then he was in the right place at the right time for Arturo Vidal to square Luis Suarez’s cross back into his path for his third.
Gerard Pique netted Barca’s fifth in the final stages, set up again by Messi, meaning he’s the only player with double figures for goals (14) and assists (10) in Europe’s big five leagues.
Barca go three points clear at the top, ahead of Sevilla and Atletico Madrid, both on 31 points.
