Match ends, Barcelona 5, Real Valladolid 1.
Barcelona 5-1 Real Valladolid: Lionel Messi scores twice as Barca return to the top
- From the section European Football
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.
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
- 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
- 1Masip
- 24FernándezBooked at 45mins
- 4Olivas Alba
- 3Barba
- 2Porro
- 21Herrero JavaloyasBooked at 79mins
- 8MohamedSubstituted forHervíasat 53'minutes
- 22Martínez GarcíaSubstituted forSalisuat 32'minutes
- 10PlanoSubstituted forÜnalat 66'minutes
- 7Guardiola NavarroBooked at 68mins
- 23Rubio
Substitutes
- 9Ünal
- 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
Full Time
Second Half ends, Barcelona 5, Real Valladolid 1.
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.
Attempt missed. Waldo Rubio (Real Valladolid) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Pablo Hervías.
Attempt missed. Pablo Hervías (Real Valladolid) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left from a direct free kick.
Foul by Arturo Vidal (Barcelona).
Mohammed Salisu (Real Valladolid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Clément Lenglet (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Sergi Guardiola (Real Valladolid).
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.
Attempt blocked. Pablo Hervías (Real Valladolid) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Waldo Rubio.
Attempt blocked. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sergio Busquets.
Clément Lenglet (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Sergi Guardiola (Real Valladolid).
Booking
Míchel (Real Valladolid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Míchel (Real Valladolid).
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Sergi Roberto replaces Jordi Alba.
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.
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.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Kiko Olivas.
Offside, Barcelona. Jordi Alba tries a through ball, but Luis Suárez is caught offside.
Booking
Sergi Guardiola (Real Valladolid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Gerard Piqué (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Sergi Guardiola (Real Valladolid).
Substitution
Substitution, Real Valladolid. Enes Ünal replaces Óscar Plano.
Foul by Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona).
Pedro Porro (Real Valladolid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Mohammed Salisu.
Arturo Vidal (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Waldo Rubio (Real Valladolid).
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Antoine Griezmann replaces Ansu Fati.
Lionel Messi (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Mohammed Salisu (Real Valladolid).
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Ivan Rakitic replaces Frenkie de Jong.
Corner, Real Valladolid. Conceded by Nélson Semedo.
Attempt blocked. Óscar Plano (Real Valladolid) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Pablo Hervías.
Attempt missed. Clément Lenglet (Barcelona) header from very close range misses to the right. Assisted by Ansu Fati with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Mohammed Salisu.
Attempt saved. Ansu Fati (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lionel Messi.
