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Barcelona 5-1 Real Valladolid: Lionel Messi scores twice as Barca return to the top

Last updated on .From the section European Footballcomments115

Lionel Messi
Messi has scored 16 direct free-kick goals since 2016-17, 10 more than any other player in Europe's top five leagues

Lionel Messi scored two goals and provided two assists as Barcelona thrashed Real Valladolid 5-1 to return to the top of La Liga.

Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet drove in an early goal before Kiko bundled in for Valladolid.

Arturo Vidal poked in from Messi's pass to restore Barcelona's lead before the Argentine curled in a superb free-kick - the 50th such goal of his career.

"There were wonders coming out of his foot," said Valladolid's Michel.

"You can only applaud and enjoy it."

There was more Messi magic to come in the second half as he superbly controlled an Ivan Rakitic ball with one touch before powering a fierce drive into the back of the net with another.

He then completed his fine performance by slipping a ball through the defence for Luis Suarez to sweep in his side's fifth.

Barcelona were not in action at the weekend after their game with Real Madrid was postponed because of safety fears surrounding the ongoing protests in Catalonia.

Barcelona
The two teams line up as fans display an Independencia banner prior to the game

That allowed Granada, who had only returned to the top flight this season, the opportunity to instead become the Spanish top flight's unlikely leaders as they beat Real Betis 1-0.

Barcelona needed to win to reclaim top spot, which they did in impressive style with Messi at his scintillating best.

Earlier, Atletico Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw by Alaves.

Alvaro Morata gave Atletico the lead after finishing off a fine team move but an excellent long-range strike by former West Ham forward Lucas Perez earned Alaves a point.

Line-ups

Barcelona

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1ter Stegen
  • 2Nélson Semedo
  • 3Piqué
  • 15Lenglet
  • 18AlbaSubstituted forRobertoat 78'minutes
  • 22Vidal
  • 5Busquets
  • 21de JongSubstituted forRakiticat 60'minutes
  • 10Messi
  • 9Suárez
  • 31FatiSubstituted forGriezmannat 63'minutes

Substitutes

  • 4Rakitic
  • 6Todibo
  • 13Murara Neto
  • 17Griezmann
  • 19Aleñá
  • 20Roberto
  • 27Pérez

Real Valladolid

Formation 3-4-1-2

  • 1Masip
  • 24FernándezBooked at 45mins
  • 4Olivas Alba
  • 3Barba
  • 2Porro
  • 21Herrero JavaloyasBooked at 79mins
  • 8MohamedSubstituted forHervíasat 53'minutes
  • 22Martínez GarcíaSubstituted forSalisuat 32'minutes
  • 10PlanoSubstituted forÃœnalat 66'minutes
  • 7Guardiola NavarroBooked at 68mins
  • 23Rubio

Substitutes

  • 9Ãœnal
  • 11Hervías
  • 12De Frutos
  • 13Lunin
  • 14Alcaraz
  • 18Regal Angulo
  • 27Salisu
Referee:
Javier Alberola Rojas
Attendance:
58,198

Match Stats

Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamReal Valladolid
Possession
Home62%
Away38%
Shots
Home18
Away9
Shots on Target
Home9
Away1
Corners
Home6
Away3
Fouls
Home9
Away14

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Barcelona 5, Real Valladolid 1.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Barcelona 5, Real Valladolid 1.

  3. Post update

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

  4. Post update

    Attempt missed. Waldo Rubio (Real Valladolid) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Pablo Hervías.

  5. Post update

    Attempt missed. Pablo Hervías (Real Valladolid) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left from a direct free kick.

  6. Post update

    Foul by Arturo Vidal (Barcelona).

  7. Post update

    Mohammed Salisu (Real Valladolid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  8. Post update

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

  9. Post update

    Foul by Sergi Guardiola (Real Valladolid).

  10. Post update

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

  11. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Pablo Hervías (Real Valladolid) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Waldo Rubio.

  12. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sergio Busquets.

  13. Post update

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

  14. Post update

    Foul by Sergi Guardiola (Real Valladolid).

  15. Booking

    Míchel (Real Valladolid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  16. Post update

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

  17. Post update

    Foul by Míchel (Real Valladolid).

  18. Substitution

    Substitution, Barcelona. Sergi Roberto replaces Jordi Alba.

  19. Goal!

    Goal! Barcelona 5, Real Valladolid 1. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Lionel Messi with a through ball.

  20. Goal!

    Goal! Barcelona 4, Real Valladolid 1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ivan Rakitic with a through ball.

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115 comments

  • Comment posted by Trousers down, at 07:24 30 Oct 2019

    Messi has scored more club goals now than Ronaldo in 100 fewer games. But that's not why he's the best player of all time. I watched the second half last night, and he was simply incredible, one of the best individual performances I've ever seen, but he plays like this each week.

    Genius.

  • Comment posted by solo, at 07:54 30 Oct 2019

    If anyone who loves football doesn't appreciate what the genius is doing is either the Ronaldo worshiper or jealous. We are privileged to witness the unique, best ever talent of the century.

  • Comment posted by zinedinho, at 07:32 30 Oct 2019

    Messi has now scored more free-kicks than teams themselves in the top 5 European leagues within the past 5 seasons:

    Messi 20
    Juventus 15
    Roma 13
    PSG 13
    Lyon 13
    Bologna 12

    Now let that sink in for a minute...

  • Comment posted by runDMCK, at 07:56 30 Oct 2019

    Anyone who genuinely watches football to see the individual influence, skill, passing, speed of thought, scoring ability, assisting ability of players, would have to agree Messi is head and shoulders above the rest.

    He positively influences a much higher percentage of games than any other player too. He may go missing occasionally, but Ronaldo and all others go missing 2-3 times as much.

  • Comment posted by FCKim, at 07:28 30 Oct 2019

    As his coach said, this is a normal night for Messi. He is just the best ever in my opinion.

  • Comment posted by malpaso, at 09:08 30 Oct 2019

    What are they going to do when Messi's gone.

  • Comment posted by Newyork, at 09:38 30 Oct 2019

    This, if you don’t win a World Cup you can’t be the best player ever is absolute nonsense. The top teams in Europe would beat the top international teams in my opinion especially when it comes the knockout stages of the champions league,its international football at a higher level!!

  • Comment posted by sue1976, at 08:32 30 Oct 2019

    Messi & Ronaldi are both great individual players. In terms of team players I’d say Messi is head & shoulders above Ronaldo.

  • Comment posted by Mark Fletcher, at 08:57 30 Oct 2019

    Interesting that Messi has not done it on the "world stage" according to some. Presume Ron fans are hanging on Euro 2016? Ron helped Portugal to the final and then went off crying about 10 minutes in and did not contribute to the ultimate victory. Messi helped Argentina to the World Cup final (bigger) where they lost. Ron has a medal but in terms of contribution Messi's is at least equal.

  • Comment posted by Suki Bapswent, at 07:22 30 Oct 2019

    Probably in the top 5 players ever.

  • Comment posted by kickabout, at 12:38 30 Oct 2019

    Yeah, he’s good but he’s no Heskey.

  • Comment posted by He dont mean nuffin by it he only got one ear, at 11:28 30 Oct 2019

    Popped on here to read what "informed football supporters" have to say about one of the greatest players of our time.

    Is it still half term?

    Clearly many on here are following football for all the wrong reasons, or they simply don't have a scooby do.

  • Comment posted by Old Father Thames, at 09:39 30 Oct 2019

    "We need a really popular article for Wednesday"

    "What about Pogba?"

    "Injured"

    "Ronaldo?"

    "We did a piece on him yesterday"

    "Women?"

    "We already have 4 articles ready "

    "Messi?"

    "Sure. We can do Pogba and Ronaldo Thursday"

    "And Man Utd Friday. Perfect!"

  • Comment posted by Old Father Thames, at 08:32 30 Oct 2019

    Who is the greatest ever?

    Messi is good but is he the GOAT?

    You decide.

    + Steve Bull

    - Lionel Messi

  • Comment posted by BlindXavi, at 08:27 30 Oct 2019

    Fun game. Take a drink every time you see a certain Portuguese winger's name in this comments section. We're less than 20 comments in and you'll either sucombe to alcohol poisoning or a distended bladder. Stop being weird and focus on Messi's greatness.

  • Comment posted by Zicobrasil, at 09:41 30 Oct 2019

    Messi is better than Ronaldo
    Ronald is better than Messi

    Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah

  • Comment posted by belamon, at 13:24 30 Oct 2019

    I watched the game last night, and once again it was clear that Messi is just on another level to anything I've ever seen. His touch, his vision, his awareness, his passing, the ability he has to stay on his feet, even his chasing back...and you can't say "that was against a poor team last night" because he's been doing this against the best teams in Europe, for almost 15 yrs ! simply the G.O.A.T

  • Comment posted by Fusty72, at 10:32 30 Oct 2019

    I do have to wonder if Barcelona have thought this Cataluña independence drive through. If it were to happen you can be sure as sheet they won't be allowed to play in La Liga. A Catalán league will consist of just a few teams so hardly good for FC Barcelona if they have any aspirations of ever winning the Champions League again?

  • Comment posted by Mr Anderson, at 13:13 30 Oct 2019

    Those who judge Messi based on his goals and assists are simply idiots. Messi is more than that. He is football God.

  • Comment posted by that swashbuckling polander of garwolin, at 10:44 30 Oct 2019

    Yeah, but, yeah but.....what about that Stoke on a wet, cold November evening thing ?

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Tuesday 29th October 2019

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Barcelona1071228111722
2Granada106221710720
3Atl Madrid11551116520
4Real Sociedad106131710719
5Sevilla106131311219
6Real Madrid9531169718
7Villarreal1052324141017
8Osasuna10352109114
9Real Valladolid113531114-314
10Ath Bilbao1034387113
11Getafe103431414013
12Valencia103431416-213
13Alavés11335914-512
14Levante103251012-211
15Mallorca10316713-610
16Eibar102351015-59
17Celta Vigo10235512-79
18Real Betis102351220-89
19Espanyol10226515-108
20Leganés10127514-95
View full Spanish La Liga table

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