Who else but Lionel Messi would decide the outcome of an intense match against Atletico Madrid?!
The Argentinian scored his third direct free kick in a week for Barcelona, in itself a startling statistic. Each one was different too.
Against Girona, he placed the ball expertly under the wall whilst against Las Palmas, he rifled one into the top corner on the keeper’s side. Atleti were wise to his tricks but they too were undone; a swerving strike that went up and over the wall and just out of Jan Oblak’s reach.
It was the type of goal that only Messi could score, and it would end up being the game-winner. It also happened to be his 600th career goal. Not a bad way to mark the milestone!
Year after year, season after season, month after month, match after match, Messi is decisive. The argument that continues to rage as to who is the best in the world is utterly moribund.
After 27 La Liga games this season, Messi has the most completed dribbles, the most chances created, the most shots at goal, the most goals scored and the most assists.
Frankly, his numbers are preposterous, and if Barcelona are going to win yet another league title, the No.10 deserves the lion’s share of the acclaim, alongside coach Ernesto Valverde.
The Blaugrana are not unbeaten by accident and the coach has played as full a part as those on the pitch. Allowing Messi to dictate has been shown to be a masterstroke.
His formations aren’t so rigid that the Argentinian is pinned down to a specific role, and by allowing him a nomadic free reign, the whole team benefits. Messi’s in-game intelligence and execution are incomparable and for as long as he plays the game, he will be the difference maker.
Countryman Diego Simeone acknowledged the same after his team’s defeat. “If Messi is wearing an Atletico shirt, we win 1-0,” he said to reporters.
One thing El Cholo will be extremely disappointed with is his own team’s output on the day. In their biggest match of the season, they had just one shot on target, easily saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen. That’s despite having four strikers on the pitch for the last 25 minutes.
Antoine Griezmann certainly couldn’t have played any worse at a ground that is rumoured to be his home from the 2018/19 season, and he will have seen, again, at first hand, the genius of Messi.
Only time will tell if the three points he earned for Barcelona on Sunday will be enough to help them to more silverware.
Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean.
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