No Messi-ng about
Barca’s star striker and Co make easy work of Las Palmas
MADRID: Lionel Messi didn’t need a free kick this time, scoring from close range to help Barcelona rout Las Palmas 5-0 and move within two points of Spanish League leader Real Madrid.
Luis Suarez added two goals and Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal also scored as Barcelona easily won at the Nou Camp yesterday in their pursuit of Madrid, who play at third-place Sevilla today. Madrid will remain with a game in hand after this weekend’s matches.
After scoring free kick goals in all three matches Barcelona played this year, Messi needed an effortless shot from close range to get on the scresheet in the 52nd minute.
Las Palmas goalkeeper Javi Varas failed to handle a left-flank cross by Rafinha and left the ball in front of the goal for an easy strike by Messi.
It was Messi’s 13th goal in the last 12 matches, and his first against Las Palmas, who were the only First Division club yet to concede a goal to the playmaker.
Suarez opened the scoring from a low cross by Andre Gomes with a well-placed shot into the far corner and, two minutes later, set up Turan after his own shot was saved following a breakaway.
Messi and Suarez are the league leading scorers with 14 each, three more than Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi had a chance to set the new club record for most free kick goals in the third minute, but his left-foot shot sailed over the crossbar.
He came closer in the 43rd, but goalkeeper Varas tipped the ball away at the top corner. Messi struck the wall in his final free kick attempt in the 78th.
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique rested Neymar and Andres Iniesta.
Barcelona play at Real Sociedad on Thursday in the first leg of the Spanish King’s Cup quarter-finals.
Las Palmas, eighth in the standings, haven’t won away from the Canary Islands since the first round at Valencia.
Athletic Bilbao, coming off elimination against Barcelona in King’s Cup, were held to a scoreless draw by promoted Leganes to remain seventh in the standings.
Athletic’s last match was also a 0-0 draw against Alaves, another team that were in the Second Division last season.
Leganes, 16th in the table, came closest to scoring, but forward Darwin Machis squandered a few great opportunities, including oneon-one chances in front of the goal.
Athletic had a goal by Raul Garcia disallowed because of an alleged foul from the midfielder on a defender. — AP