Athletic Bilbao 2-5 Barcelona

Lionel Messi has contributed to 14 goals for Barcelona in 2015, scoring (nine) and creating (five)

Lionel Messi inspired Barcelona as they moved within a point of La Liga leaders Real Madrid after winning a breathless encounter at Athletic Bilbao.

Messi's deflected free-kick, and a precise finish into the bottom corner from Luis Suarez put Barca in control.

Athletic's Mikel Rico stroked in after half-time, before Oscar De Marcos's own goal and Neymar put Barca 4-1 up.

Home striker Aritz Aduriz hit a fourth goal in seven minutes for 4-2, then Barca's Pedro tapped in a late fifth.

After opening the scoring, Argentina captain Messi turned provider to help create each of Barcelona's other four goals.

Neymar could have added a sixth, shooting straight at Athletic keeper Gorka Iraizoz when clean through, as Barca showed little mercy on a home side reduced to 10 men for the final 15 minutes.

Athletic defender Xabier Etxeita was sent off for a crude challenge on former Liverpool forward Suarez.

Luis Suarez scored his first goal in six matches and his third La Liga strike of the season

But, even with 11 men, the home side did not look capable of preventing a comfortable win for the visitors.

Barcelona were accused of being in "crisis" a month ago as speculation about Messi's future and political in-fighting at boardroom level followed a surprise defeat at David Moyes' Real Sociedad.

Coach Luis Enrique's position also came under scrutiny as that insipid performance saw Barca trail arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Spanish title race.

However, the Catalan club have won their last five league matches - nine across all competitions - to strengthen their ambitions of regaining the title from Atletico Madrid.

The defending champions, who are third, blew open the title race with a 4-0 home win against Real in Saturday's Madrid derby.

And that heavy defeat for Real, coupled with Barca scoring 21 in their last five wins, means Luis Enrique's side now have a superior goal difference than their rivals - which could prove vital in the title race.

Elsewhere, Valencia moved up to fourth with a 2-1 victory at Espanyol, leapfrogging Sevilla who lost 2-1 at Getafe.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Ath Bilbao

• 1Iraizoz
• 10De Marcos
• 16EtxeitaBooked at 75mins
• 4Laporte
• 24BalenziagaBooked at 40minsSubstituted forAurtenetxeat 52'minutes
• 6San José
• 17Rico Moreno
• 14SusaetaSubstituted forEtxebarria Urkiagaat 69'minutes
• 29López CabreraBooked at 69mins
• 19MuniainSubstituted forGurpegiat 78'minutesBooked at 90mins
• 20Aduriz

Substitutes

• 3Aurtenetxe
• 7Etxebarria Urkiaga
• 11Gómez
• 13Herrerín Buisán
• 18Gurpegi
• 23Aketxe
• 30Williams

Barcelona

• 13Bravo
• 22Alves da SilvaBooked at 45minsSubstituted forCorreiaat 69'minutes
• 3Piqué
• 24Mathieu
• 18Alba
• 4Rakitic
• 5Busquets
• 6HernándezSubstituted forRafinhaat 74'minutes
• 10Messi
• 9SuárezSubstituted forPedroat 80'minutes
• 11Neymar

Substitutes

• 1ter Stegen
• 7Pedro
• 8Iniesta
• 12Rafinha
• 14Mascherano
• 15Bartra
• 21Correia

Referee:

Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz

Attendance:

43,800

Match Stats

Home TeamAth BilbaoAway TeamBarcelona

Possession

Home27%

Away73%

Shots

Home15

Away19

Shots on Target

Home6

Away10

Corners

Home4

Away4

Fouls

Home15

Away9

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Athletic Club 2, Barcelona 5.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+3'

Second Half ends, Athletic Club 2, Barcelona 5.

Posted at 90'+2'

Foul by Pedro (Barcelona).

Posted at 90'+2'

Mikel Rico (Athletic Club) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Booking

Posted at 90'+1'

Carlos Gurpegi (Athletic Club) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 90'+1'

Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Óscar De Marcos.

Posted at 90'+1'

Attempt saved. Neymar (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Pedro.

Posted at 90'

Attempt saved. Neymar (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Pedro.

Posted at 89'

Offside, Barcelona. Sergio Busquets tries a through ball, but Lionel Messi is caught offside.

Posted at 88'

Offside, Barcelona. Gerard Piqué tries a through ball, but Pedro is caught offside.

Goal!

Posted at 86'

Goal! Athletic Club 2, Barcelona 5. Pedro (Barcelona) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Sergio Busquets.

Substitution

Posted at 80'

Substitution, Barcelona. Pedro replaces Luis Suárez because of an injury.

Posted at 79'

Offside, Barcelona. Rafinha tries a through ball, but Luis Suárez is caught offside.

Substitution

Posted at 78'

Substitution, Athletic Club. Carlos Gurpegi replaces Iker Muniain.

Posted at 77'

Rafinha (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 77'

Foul by Mikel Rico (Athletic Club).

Posted at 76'

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Posted at 75'

Delay in match Luis Suárez (Barcelona) because of an injury.

Dismissal

Posted at 75'

Xabier Etxeita (Athletic Club) is shown the red card for fighting.

Posted at 75'

Luis Suárez (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 75'

Foul by Xabier Etxeita (Athletic Club).

Substitution

Posted at 74'

Substitution, Barcelona. Rafinha replaces Xavi.

Posted at 73'

Attempt missed. Jordi Alba (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Adriano with a cross.

Posted at 72'

Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 72'

Foul by Jon Aurtenetxe (Athletic Club).

Substitution

Posted at 69'

Substitution, Athletic Club. Beñat replaces Markel Susaeta.

Substitution

Posted at 69'

Substitution, Barcelona. Adriano replaces Dani Alves.

Booking

Posted at 69'

Unai López (Athletic Club) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 69'

Gerard Piqué (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 69'

Foul by Unai López (Athletic Club).

Goal!

Posted at 66'

Goal! Athletic Club 2, Barcelona 4. Aritz Aduriz (Athletic Club) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Iker Muniain with a through ball.

Posted at 66'

Attempt blocked. Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lionel Messi.

Posted at 66'

Attempt saved. Neymar (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Luis Suárez.

Goal!

Posted at 64'

Goal! Athletic Club 1, Barcelona 4. Neymar (Barcelona) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Lionel Messi.

Posted at 64'

Attempt saved. Unai López (Athletic Club) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Markel Susaeta.

Goal!

Posted at 62'

Goal! Athletic Club 1, Barcelona 3. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Luis Suárez with a cross.

Posted at 61'

Attempt blocked. Mikel Rico (Athletic Club) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Posted at 61'

Attempt blocked. Jon Aurtenetxe (Athletic Club) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Posted at 60'

Attempt missed. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Neymar.

Goal!

Posted at 59'

Goal! Athletic Club 1, Barcelona 2. Mikel Rico (Athletic Club) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner.

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