3️⃣ points as Messi inspires 10-man Barcelona to win over Real Betis | OneFootball

Icon: OneFootball

OneFootball

Alex Mott·9 February 2020

3️⃣ points as Messi inspires 10-man Barcelona to win over Real Betis

Article image:3️⃣ points as Messi inspires 10-man Barcelona to win over Real Betis

Lionel Messi laid on three assists as Barcelona came from behind to beat Real Betis 3-2 on a pulsating night in Andalusia.

After a week in which he publicly criticised sporting director Eric Abidal, Messi did his talking on the pitch too as the Blaugrana went to within three points of leaders Real Madrid.


OneFootball Videos


Says it all

Article image:3️⃣ points as Messi inspires 10-man Barcelona to win over Real Betis

Barcelona were scrambling around all January for a new striker.

Countless different forwards were considered with Rodrigo, Cedric Bakambu and even Lucas Perez linked with a switch to Camp Nou.

But Barça, as has been their wont in recent months, totally botched it – not only failing to land a goalscorer to fill the gap left by Luis Suarez but also selling two youngsters who could have potentially made the step up.

With that in mind Quique Setien opted for something rather unusual here, with Arturo Vidal being pushed forward into the number 10 role as Lionel Messi was allowed to drop a little deeper to get the ball.

As it transpired, the Chilean didn’t do the worst job but it says so much about Barcelona’s total lack of planning that he was even asked to do said job in the first place.

Surely it can’t continue for too much longer?


Fek-in brilliant

Article image:3️⃣ points as Messi inspires 10-man Barcelona to win over Real Betis

Nabil Fekir just loves playing against Barcelona.

The Frenchman was superb in the reverse fixture between these two back in August but his performance tonight was on another level.

Bought from Lyon over the summer, his move was one from the old school – a technical player with bags of ability choosing to join a middle-ranking club just because it felt right.

It’s Rui Costa at Fiorentina or Paolo Di Canio at West Ham and it’s glorious.

Fekir had the Barcelona defence in the palm of his hand throughout the game and capped his night with a fantastic first half goal.

Now if he can just stay fit for more than a couple of months.


A great advert

Article image:3️⃣ points as Messi inspires 10-man Barcelona to win over Real Betis

For all their faults – and there were plenty on show – these two teams offered up a brilliantly fun game of football.

That, in truth, was mainly down to an astonishing lack of defending and a pair of attacks that really felt in the mood.

We mentioned Fekir in the point above but we also have to single out Lionel Messi for once again taking a LaLiga game and bending it to his will.

We also saw Frenkie de Jong truly come into his own as a Barça player, showing all the class and grace that we witnessed in an Ajax shirt last season.

Five goals, 90 minutes of drama and it leaves Barcelona three points behind Real Madrid with the title race entering its most important stage.