MESSI HEROICS KEEP BARCA ON REAL MADRID’S TRAIL
BARCELONA – La Liga champions Barcelona stayed on the heels of leaders Real Madrid by coasting to a 3-0 home win over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday as Lionel Messi became the club’s top scorer from free kicks.
Paco Alcacer scored his first league goal since joining from Valencia last year by turning in a pass from Neymar in the 18th minute, while Messi whipped in an angled strike in the 40th, his 27th goal from a free kick for Barca. Aleix Vidal scored the most impressive goal of the game by finishing off an audacious solo run in the 67th minute.
Barca stayed second in the standings, moving one point behind Real Madrid having played two games more.
The leaders were due to visit Celta Vigo yesterday, but the game was postponed after the Balaidos stadium roof was damaged by storms.
Coach Luis Enrique made six changes to the team that beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 in Wednesday’s King’s Cup semifinal first leg, resting top scorer Luis Suarez.
Barca again lacked control without injured midfielders Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta. But they took the lead when Neymar cut inside from the left and held off four opponents to serve up the ball for Alcacer, to finally score a league goal for Barca in his 11th appearance.
Athletic continued to cause problems, but the Catalans doubled their advantage before the break when Messi smashed the ball from the right-hand side of the area straight past Athletic goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz.
The goal moved him ahead of Ronald Koeman as the club’s top set-piece specialist with 27 goals from free kicks in all competitions.
Messi was substituted in the 64th minute by Vidal, who raced towards goal, flicking the ball over a defender into the far corner for the third. –