Messi sinks Atleti to keep Barca in race

LUIS ENRIQUE savoured a morale-boosting victory over Atletico Madrid as Lionel Messi’s late winner at the Vicente Calderon kept Barcelona well in the LaLiga title picture.

Just 12 days on from the 4-0 Champions League hammering at Paris St Germain, Barca defeated one of their rivals for the domestic crown 2-1 thanks to Messi’s 86th-minute strike, which came after Diego Godin headed in a reply to Rafinha’s opener.

It was hardly a vintage Barca performance as Messi got them out of jail for the second-straight weekend following his 90th-minute penalty in the home win over Leganes, but the Catalans boss saw the importance in a success over Atleti, who they remain unbeaten against in their past 20 domestic fixtures.

“It’s a victory that really raises our morale,” Luis Enrique told Barcelona’s official website.