Match ends, Barcelona 3, Eibar 0.
Barcelona 3-0 Eibar
- From the section European Football
- Barca unbeaten in eight league games this season
- Barca yet to concede in 12 hours of league action
- Messi two goals away from La Liga goal record
- Eibar suffer first defeat in five league games
Lionel Messi moved to within two goals of becoming the all-time La Liga record goalscorer after he netted in Barcelona's victory over Eibar.
After a goalless first half, Messi's through-ball found Xavi, who chipped keeper Xabi Iruretagoiena to put the league leaders ahead after an hour.
Brazil striker Neymar volleyed in Dani Alves's chip to double their advantage.
Messi made it 3-0 in the 74th minute after racing through the Eibar defence for his 250th La Liga goal.
| How Aguero's strike-rate is better than Messi's |
|---|
| "This season, Manchester City are belatedly finding out what it is like when Sergio Aguero stays fit, and so are the opposition. So far in the 2014-15 campaign, Aguero trails only Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar in the list of the top marksmen's minutes-per-goal in Europe's leading five leagues - Spain, Germany, England, France and Italy - helping his side into second place, and keeping Premier League leaders Chelsea in their sights." |
| Read more: Why Aguero needs more minutes to match Messi |
The 27-year-old is one behind Telmo Zarra's record for Athletic Bilbao in the 1940s and 1950s.
Messi will break the record if he scores two goals or more in next Saturday's game against arch-rivals Real Madrid, the first El Clasico of the season.
That match is expected to mark Luis Suarez's first competitive game in a Barcelona shirt after serving a ban for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay's 2014 World Cup group match in Brazil in June.
Suarez will feature for a Barcelona side that has dropped just two points all season and has yet to concede a goal in eight La Liga games at the start of the season, a league record.
Barca needed Xavi to come to the rescue on the hour to finally break the resistance of a resolute Eibar side who are enjoying their first season in the top flight.
Neymar quickly added to the lead and then combined with Messi for the Argentine to notch his 250th league goal.
Barca are at home to Ajax in the Champions League on Tuesday before travelling to the Spanish capital to face Real Madrid.
Line-ups
Barcelona
- 13Bravo
- 22Alves da Silva
- 3Piqué
- 24Mathieu
- 18Alba
- 6Hernández
- 14Mascherano
- 20Roberto CarnicerSubstituted forIniestaat 55'minutesBooked at 82mins
- 7PedroSubstituted forRamírezat 71'minutes
- 10Messi
- 11NeymarBooked at 40minsSubstituted forEl Haddadiat 77'minutes
Substitutes
- 1ter Stegen
- 8Iniesta
- 12Rafinha
- 15Bartra
- 21Correia
- 29Ramírez
- 31El Haddadi
Eibar
- 1Iruretagoiena Aranzamendi
- 2Bóveda
- 16Castellano CastroBooked at 45mins
- 6Albentosa
- 5Ekiza
- 24Minero Fernandez
- 8Errasti
- 14García Carrillo
- 23Lara GrandeBooked at 53minsSubstituted forPiovaccariat 57'minutes
- 7CapaSubstituted forBoatengat 75'minutes
- 21Berjón PérezSubstituted forNieto Velaat 77'minutes
Substitutes
- 11Nieto Vela
- 15Lekic
- 17Vilá Roselló
- 18Boateng
- 19Piovaccari
- 22Rodríguez Navas
- 25Jiménez Merlo
- Referee:
- José Antonio Teixeira Vitienes
- Attendance:
- 75,546
Match Stats
Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamEibar
- Possession
- Home75%
- Away25%
- Shots
- Home27
- Away4
- Shots on Target
- Home12
- Away2
- Corners
- Home12
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away13
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Barcelona 3, Eibar 0.
Attempt saved. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Andrés Iniesta with a through ball.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Abraham.
Attempt missed. Raúl Albentosa (Eibar) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Dani Nieto with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Eibar. Conceded by Javier Mascherano.
Attempt saved. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Xavi.
Attempt saved. Sandro Ramírez (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Andrés Iniesta.
Foul by Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona).
Eneko Bóveda (Eibar) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Booking
Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona).
Dani Nieto (Eibar) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Munir El Haddadi (Barcelona) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Borja Ekiza.
Xavi (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Jon Errasti (Eibar).
Attempt missed. Sandro Ramírez (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Dani Alves with a cross.
Attempt blocked. Sandro Ramírez (Barcelona) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jordi Alba.
Corner, Eibar. Conceded by Javier Mascherano.
Substitution
Substitution, Eibar. Dani Nieto replaces Saúl.
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Munir El Haddadi replaces Neymar.
Substitution
Substitution, Eibar. Derek Boateng replaces Ander Capa.
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 3, Eibar 0. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Neymar.
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 2, Eibar 0. Neymar (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Dani Alves with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Sandro Ramírez replaces Pedro.
Attempt saved. Jordi Alba (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Andrés Iniesta.
Attempt saved. Federico Piovaccari (Eibar) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Xabi Irureta.
Attempt saved. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Raúl Albentosa.
Jeremy Mathieu (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Raúl Albentosa (Eibar).
Foul by Dani Alves (Barcelona).
Dani García (Eibar) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Neymar (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Lillo (Eibar).
Attempt saved. Pedro (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Andrés Iniesta with a through ball.
Attempt blocked. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Xavi with a cross.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Abraham.