Lionel Messi leads Barcelona seven-goal rout of Osasuna
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ByEurosport
Updated 27/04/2017 at 11:39 GMT
La Liga, Camp Nou – Barcelona 7 (Messi 12’, 61’, A. Gomes 30’, 57’, Alcacer 64’, 86', Mascherano 67’ P) Osasuna 1 (Torres 48’)
Lionel Messi, Barcelona, La Liga 2016-17 (Getty Images)
Image credit: Getty Images
Barcelona thrashed Osasuna 7-1 on Wednesday as Lionel Messi, Andre Gomes and Paco Alcacer each scored twice to ensure they stayed top of La Liga.
Javier Mascherano scored his first ever goal for the club from the penalty spot as the Catalans built on their Clasico victory over Real on Sunday to stay ahead of their bitter rivals, who beat Deportivo La Coruna 6-2.
Messi opened the scoring with a solo dribble, capped with a neat chip over Osasuna goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu, before Gomes volleyed home Ivan Rakitic’s cross.
Roberto Torres whipped in a free kick just after halftime to drag his team back into the match, but Barcelona then ran riot, seeing out the game with a flurry of goals and leaving the visitors bottom of the table and on the brink of relegation.
With additional reporting from Reuters
TALKING POINT
Can Barcelona win it? Momentum is *almost* everything in the run in and Barcelona currently have it. Their big players are in form and they do not have the distraction of the Champions League. However, it is no longer in their hands and they are reliant on someone else doing them a favour.
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Andre Gomes (C) of FC Barcelona celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's second goal during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and CA Osasuna at Camp Nou stadium on April 26, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain.
Image credit: Getty Images
MAN OF THE MATCH
Lionel Messi (Barcelona): What more can be said about the Argentine superstar? Without a doubt the greatest of all time. The usual argument against Messi in the GOAT debate stems from his apparent inability to ‘carry’ an average Argentina side to international honours.
However, if Barcelona win Liga it will be down to Messi and, truth be told, despite the calibre of player on show at the club, they have been bang average for much of the season.
PLAYER RATINGS
Barcelona: Ter Stegen 6; Mascherano 7, Piqué 7, Busquets 7, Digne 7; Rakitic 8, Gomes 8, Denis Suarez 8; Messi 9, Turan 7, Alcácer 8. Subs: Alena6.
Osasuna: Sirigu 4, Bunuel 4, Oier 4, Fuentes 4, Steven 4, Mérida 4, Tienza 4, Jaime 5, R.Torres 5, De las Cuevas 5, Sergio León 5. Subs: Causic 4, Olavide 5, Kodro 5.
KEY MOMENTS
12 – GOAL: There's the opener and its Barcelona's. Messi broke in behind the Osasuna defence, anticipating a mistake from the Osasuna defence and lobbing a cheeky finish over the goalkeeper who was off his line.
30 – GOAL: What a good finish from Gomes! The cross came into the box from the right wing and the Portuguese midfielder was on hand to find the back of the net with a well-taken half-volley.
48 – GOAL: The away side have halved the deficit! That's Osasuna's first shot on goal this evening, but they have made it count. Ter Stegen was completely fooled by the free-kick strike from Torres.
57 - GOAL! Barcelona 3 Osasuna 1. Barcelona have their two goal cushion once again! Pique took the ball down on his chest before striking the base of the post, but Gomes picked up the rebound and finished past Sirigu.
61 - GOAL! You just knew that was going to happen as soon as he picked up the ball in the Osasuna half! He surged to the edge of the box and curled a finish past Sirigu. Fantastic goal from Messi!
64 – GOAL: Now Alcacer has got his name on the score sheet! The striker got on the end of the clipped pass into the box from Turan and dinks a finish on the slide over Sirigu and into the empty net.
67 – GOAL: Penalty… Mascherano has scored his first goal for Barcelona! The Argentine's last goal was seven years ago, but he steps up to the spot and rifles home his penalty kick! What a finish.
86 – GOAL: Alcacer gets his second of the night and Barcelona's seventh! He has made god runs all night long, and this time it was picked out, rounding Sirigu to finishing into the empty net.
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Leo Messi (Barcelona)
Image credit: Getty Images
MATCH STATS
- Javier Mascherano has scored the 500th goal for Barcelona under Luis Enrique in all competitions. Milestone.
- Lionel Messi has scored 11 goals from his last 19 shots on target in La Liga. Sensational.
- Barcelona have won their last nine La Liga games at the Camp Nou, their best run at home under Luis Enrique. Union.
MATCH IN A TWEET
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