Sports
Lionel Messi’s brace lifts Barcelona to win over Athletic Bilbao
Lionel Messi was at the top of his game as Barcelona earned a 3-2 win at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday to move up to third in La Liga.
Hello!! Have you heard about the deadly virus called Coronavirus? No? See What It Is & How To Prevent It Here. Also Stay Connected & Get Latest Updates On Coronavirus Here. Please be safe! We LOVE You.
Athletic got off to a dream start in their first match under new coach Marcelino when forward Inaki Williams latched on to a low through ball and raced towards goal, beating one defender before firing low into the net in the third minute.
Barca quickly responded, however, with a sensational team goal, Messi delivering a superb pass to pick out Frenkie de Jong by the byline and the Dutchman volleyed the ball back across the area for 18-year-old Pedri to head home.
Messi and Pedri combined beautifully to put Barca ahead, the youngster receiving a pass from the Argentine before returning it with a delightful backheel and Messi rolled the ball into the bottom corner in the 38th minute.
Messi struck again in the 62nd minute to finish off another brilliant team move and missed a couple of chances to complete his hat-trick, although Iker Muniain made for a tense finale by scoring for Athletic in the 90th.
The win took Barca above Real Sociedad and into third in the standings on 31 points, seven behind leaders Atletico Madrid who have two games in hand on the Catalans.
“When you concede so early it’s normal to drop your heads but we showed a lot of self-belief to make sure that didn’t happen,” said Pedri.
“We knew it was an important game that’s how we approached it, we knew they’d look for Inaki with his speed but we overcame that and got three very important points.”
The win led Barca boss Ronaldo Koeman to reassess previous pessimistic comments about his side’s faint chances of catching Atletico.
“That’s the way we need to continue. I felt like we controlled the game the whole time and there were barely any dips in our play,” Koeman told a news conference.
“The title race is still open because the season is very long. There can be injuries, teams can have downturns and a side that looks very good can end up struggling,” he said.
Messi has had a relatively poor season by his own standards but his scores took him on to nine goals for the campaign, making him the joint top scorer in La Liga.
“Messi has given everything since day one, he has spent so many years at the very top level but it seems that now he has become even more effective,” Koeman said. “He has always shown us his skill and his commitment but today he gave us his goals too.”
On Pedri, Koeman added: “He plays with so much maturity despite his age and most importantly he uses his head.”
Athletic forward Williams said his side had played well but were powerless to stop Barca when Messi was on top form.
“We played a good first half, we were the Athletic we wanted to be but we were up against the best player in the world and he swung the game in a different direction,” he said.
“The goals they scored tonight were fantastic and there’s very little you can do to defend against plays like that.”
How to Build a Platform for Consultants
Photos: Soludo meets IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, in detention
Bbnaija Season 7 Application To Start Soon – Organizers
AMVCA: Oga Sabinus Wins First Award [Full list of Winners]
FA Cup Final: Tuchel laments after penalty shootout defeat to Liverpool
Deborah Samuel: Suspect in viral video is from Niger Republic, has escaped – Police
Deborah Samuel: Northern governors call for calm
Bishop Kukah: Muslims Going House To House In Sokoto, Looking For Christians To Kill Is False – Omokri
Deborah Samuel: CAN directs all churches to hold nationwide protest
Frenkie de Jong: Xavi Breaks Silence On Manchester United Move
IPOB declares 18, 26 May sit-at-home in South-East
Bayern Munich confirms Robert Lewandowski will leave the club
Apple ‘testing’ iPhones with USB-C
Manchester City legend, Aguero sends warning to Haaland
Elon Musk halts Twitter deal
Deborah Samuel: Osinbajo Reacts, Commends Buhari, Sultan Of Sokoto
ASUU strike has worsened drug abuse – Obaseki
Deborah Samuel: Buhari Finally React To Killing Of Sokoto Student
Don Jazzy’s Ex-Wife Finally Reveal Why Marriage Crashed
After 19 Years Don Jazzy Reunites With Ex-wife In Lagos
D’banj – Face Show feat. Skiibii & HollyHood Bay Bay [Lyrics]
Deborah Samuel: Police arrests two suspects over killing of Sokoto college student
Why First Bank management fails to meet financial report deadline
Why I apologised to Nkechi Blessing – Opeyemi Falegan
I’ve Never Worn A Pant Since I Was 18 – Nkechi Blessing
Donald Trump’s Twitter ban ‘foolish’ – Elon Musk
Apple to drop iPhone lightning port in favor of USB-C next year
‘I guess I would’ reverse Donald Trump’s Twitter ban – Elon Musk
2023: FIFA to rebrand as EA Sports FC
NIN-SIM Regulations Affected Us – Airtel
2023: Goodluck Jonathan Finally Break Silence As Miyetti Allah Purchases APC Presidential Form For Him
[Music] Davido – Stand Strong (feat. The Samples) | O.B.O Elemi 9 plus
[Music] Kizz Daniel Feat. Tekno – Buga
Stephanie Otobo Goes Wide Again With A Shocking Claim About Apostle Suleman, Shares His D*ck Photos
[STORY] DANGEROUS TWIN SISTER (Complete Episodes)
What Happens When You Eat Chicken EVERYDAY?
[STORY] THE LITTLE WITCH (Complete Episodes)
[STORY] DANGEROUS TWIN SISTER (Final Episode 22)
Top 10 Countries That Have Officially Changed Their Names
Apostle Suleman breaks silence on Stephanie Otobo, D*ck Photos
[STORY] DANGEROUS TWIN SISTER (Episode 01)
[STORY] DANGEROUS TWIN SISTER (Episode 20)
[STORY] DANGEROUS TWIN SISTER (Episode 21)
[STORY] HIDDEN MOTIVES (Episode 10)
7 Lies You Should Unlearn About Sugar
[STORY] HIDDEN MOTIVES (Episode 08)
[Music] Koffee – Lockdown
[STORY] THE LITTLE WITCH (Episode 01)
Bishop Kukah: Muslims Going House To House In Sokoto, Looking For Christians To Kill Is False – Omokri
[STORY] DANGEROUS TWIN SISTER (Episode 19)
[STORY] HIDDEN MOTIVES (Episode 07)
Kizz Daniel Feat. Tekno – Buga [Lyrics]
Lyon Dropped Marcelo From First Team For “Farting And Laughing” In Dressing Room
[STORY] DANGEROUS TWIN SISTER (Episode 15)
[STORY] DANGEROUS TWIN SISTER (Episode 14)
[STORY] HIDDEN MOTIVES (Episode 09)
[STORY] DANGEROUS TWIN SISTER (Episode 17)
[STORY] DANGEROUS TWIN SISTER (Episode 12)
[STORY] DANGEROUS TWIN SISTER (Episode 11)
[STORY] THE LITTLE WITCH (Episode 03)
-
Movie Subtitles2 years agoDOWNLOAD Complete Money Heist Season 1 Subtitles File [English SRT] 2017
-
Movie Subtitles2 years agoDOWNLOAD Complete Tenet (2020 film) Subtitles File [English SRT] 2020
-
Movie Subtitles2 years ago
DOWNLOAD Complete Money Heist Season 3 Subtitles File [English SRT] 2019
-
Movie Subtitles2 years ago
DOWNLOAD Complete Money Heist Season 2 Subtitles File [English SRT] 2017
-
Music2 years ago[Music] Alec Benjamin – Let Me Down Slowly
-
Music2 years ago[Music] Loren Allred – Never Enough (From The Greatest Showman)
-
Movie Subtitles2 years agoDOWNLOAD Complete Mulan (2020 film) Subtitles File [English SRT] 2020
-
Music2 years ago[Music] Ali Gatie – It’s You
-
Music2 years ago[Music] Westlife – I Wanna Grow Old With You
-
Music1 year ago[Music] Gnash Ft Olivia O’Brien – I Hate you, I Love you
-
Music2 years ago[Music] Akon – Sorry Blame It On Me
-
Technology12 months agoVoIP Number: Everything You Need To Know
-
Music2 years ago[Music] Kina – Can We Kiss Forever ft. Adriana Proenza
-
Music2 years ago
[Music] Westlife – My Love
-
Music2 years ago[Music] Shaggy – Church Heathen
-
Music2 years ago
[Music] Westlife – I Lay My Love on You
-
Music2 years ago[Music] Jennifer Lopez Ft. Lil Wayne – I’m Into You
-
Music2 years ago[Music] Right Said Fred – Stand Up (For the Champions)
-
Movie Subtitles2 years agoDOWNLOAD Complete Coma (Koma) 2019 Subtitles File [English SRT] 2020
-
Music2 years ago[Music] The Chainsmokers – Closer ft. Halsey
-
Stories1 year ago[STORY] MORENIKEJI (Complete Episodes)
-
Music2 years ago[Music] Trevor Daniel – Falling
-
Music2 years ago[Music] R. Kelly – World’s Greatest
-
Movie Subtitles2 years agoDOWNLOAD Complete Sex Education (TV series) Season 1 Subtitles File [English SRT] 2019
-
Music2 years ago[Music] Bryan Adams – (Everything I Do) I Do It For You
-
Music2 years ago
[Music] Bryan Adams – Please Forgive Me
-
Music2 years ago[Music] Michael Jackson – You Are Not Alone
-
Music2 years ago
[INSTRUMENTAL] Kina – Can We Kiss Forever ft. Adriana Proenza
-
Movie Subtitles2 years agoDOWNLOAD Complete Project Power (2020 film) Subtitles File [English SRT] 2020
-
Music2 years ago[Music] Ogbogu Okonji – Ada Na Egbuazu
-
Stories2 years ago[STORY] THAT NIGHT IN ROOM 401 (Complete Episodes)
-
Music2 years ago[Music] Lionel Richie – Do it to Me
wpDiscuz