Messi reaches 500-goal mark for Barcelona
LIONEL Messi, with his 500th goal for Barcelona, and Luis Suarez saved the Spanish champions from a second defeat in six days as they came from behind to win 2-1 at Sevilla on Sunday.
Victory keeps Barca just two points adrift of Real Madrid, who were 3-0 victors over Leganes thanks to a double from Gareth Bale.
Real announced yesterday that Cristiano Ronaldo will extend his contract with the European champs until 2021.
Mes s i ( p i c t u r e d , A F P ) inspired a Barca fightback fresh from a 3-1 defeat at Manchester City in the Champions League last Tuesday after a first-half Sevilla dominated.
With the cast of Game of Thrones among those watching on in Seville, the game got off to a frantic start.
The hosts had two shots on goal inside 50 seconds, but from a Sevilla corner Barca broke forward at lightning speed and Suarez’s effort from Neymar’s layoff was brilliantly saved by Sergio Rico.
Sevilla remained on the front foot for most of the first-half and got their reward on 15 minutes when Pablo Sarabia’s pass bamboozled Sergi Robe r t o and Vi t ol o charged through to open the scoring.
Sarabia passed up a great chance to make it two when he took the bizarre decision to backheel the ball towards the edge of the area when he had just keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen to beat.
Barca made Sevilla pay with another brillia nt counter-att ack to level t wo mi nutes before half-time as t his time Messi curled Neymar’s pass into the bottom corner.
The goal was Messi’s 500th for Barca, including friendlies, but he should have had more after the break as only a brilliant block from Mariano and save from Rico prevented the Barca captain turning the game around.
Messi turned provider for the winner just after the hour mark as he teed up Suarez to drill the ball low past Rico.
Rico produced an incredible stop to prevent Suarez making it 3-1, but a huge error from Ter Stegen at the other end nearly cost Barca the win as he flapped at a corner and Steven N’Zonzi headed inches wide the goal gaping.
Earlier, Bale rounded off a fine week after signing one of the most lucrative deals in football history himself to keep him tied to Real until 2022.
The Welshman earned his bumper new wage as he struck twice in seven first-half minutes before Alvaro Morata added a thirdird 14 minutes from the whistle. e.
By contrast, rast, Ronaldo endured another nother frustrating afternoon oon as he was kept scoreless eless for the fifth time in eight La Liga appearances arances this season.
The Portuguesertuguese has now goneone f i v e gamesmes without scororing at the Bernabeu – his longest drought ought since joining Real sevenven years ago.
“There iss nothing wrong, he is s not worried,” said Real boss Zi nedi ne Zi dane a b o u t R o n a l d o’s slump in form. orm. “He looks good, he is motivated, he likes to scores goals and even more so in this stadium, but he is calm.” A fine day for Re Real was rounded off by the re return of Luka Modric from injury and they even kep kept a first clean sheet in 11 matchesm to stretch their un unbeaten run in all co competit i o n s t o 2 8 games. V i l l a r r e a l moved up to third wi with a 2-0 win overove Real Betis. M e a n w h i l e , Valencia’s strugglesst continued asa a 2-1 defeat at Ce Celta Vigo leaves the them just a point aboveab the drop zone.