Lionel Messi helps Barcelona make history
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lionel-Messi-c22296 scored another hat-trick as Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 3-0 at Camp Nou on Saturday evening. Barcelona became the first side in history to win 16 successive La Liga games. The Blaugrana are now 10 points clear at the top with 61 points in
22 games so far.
Barcelona made nine changes to their starting line-up that played in the Copa Del Ray semi final against Almeria in the midweek. Daniel Alves and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Sergio-Busquets-c33048 were the only survivors of the midweek clash.
The opening minutes of the match saw Andres Iniesta find Messi through on goal but the refree gave a foul call to the Argentinean. Barcelona made several attacks in the early action but was unable to score.
Messi opened the scoring in the 17th minute. The Argentinean received a pass from Alves in the box and cut inside from the right before bashing a left footed strike inside the near post from 20 yards. That was Lio Messi’s 22nd goal
of his La Liga campaign this year.
Three minutes later, the same combination almost did it again for the home side when Alves slipped in a pass for Messi but it went wide off the far post. The Argentinean made amends for his earlier miss when he scored his and Barca’s second in the 28th
minute. Tomas Ujfalusi intercepted David Villa’s pass but the ball was knocked into Messi’s path. The striker made no mistake in smashing it past http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Cristiano-Ronaldo-c9629 in the race for
Pichichi.
In the first half hour of the game it was looked like a practice match for El Barca as Atletico Madrid slumped. Atletico’s only chance in the first half came just before the break, when Sergio Aguero looked like his father-in-law http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Diego-Maradona-c11160 as he twirled
into the box past http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Maxwell-c25051. Eric Abidal denied him to clear for a corner and his side went scoreless.
The second half started off much better for the Los RojiBlancos. The visitors should have gotten a goal in the 53rd minute when Aguero fed Diego Forlan but the Uruguayan’s effort was cleared off the line by Pique.
Messi came close to scoring in the 72nd minute when he brilliantly headed a looping cross from Maxwell which was acrobatically saved by De Gea to deny the Argentinean a hatrick. A few minutes later Messi finally got his hat-trick, Villa’s shot
was met by De Gea in the box but the ball fell in front of Messi who stabbed it in from close range. This was Messi’s third of the game, 24th of the La Liga season and 40th goal in all competitions this season.
The incredible display from Messi helped Barcelona cruise to their 16th consecutive La Liga victory. Barcelona sits comfortably on top of the league, as the champions travel to Sporting next week in hopes of continuing their record breaking season.
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