Barcelona’s teenage star Ansu Fati on Sunday set another scoring record when he became the youngest player to get a brace in a La Liga match.
Fati struck from a pair of passes by Lionel Messi to help Barcelona beat Levante UD 2-1, keeping the defending champions within three points of leaders Real Madrid.
Fati got his record brace at the age of 17 years, 94 days. That beat the previous mark established by then-Malaga striker Juan Miguel Jimenez in 2010 at 17 years, 115 days.
Photo: AFP
“I have watched [Messi] for many years and to play next to him is a dream come true,” Fati said. “I have to thank my teammates and my coach. My teammates have made it easy since the first day I came into the changing room.”
The forward from Guinea-Bissau’s latest scoring milestone came after he smashed several other scoring records this season.
Fati became the youngest player to score for Barcelona in the league at the age of 16 years, 304 days in a 2-2 draw at CA Osasuna on Aug. 31 last year.
Two weeks later, he became the youngest player to score at the Camp Nou in a 5-2 rout of Valencia. On Dec. 10, he became the youngest player to score in a UEFA Champions League match in a 2-1 win at Inter.
On Sunday, Fati opened the scoring for the hosts in the 30th minute after Messi drifted back into the midfield and placed a perfectly weighted pass to connect with Fati’s run behind the defense.
Fati did the rest by fending off Jorge Miramon and slotting between the legs of Aitor Fernandez.
A minute later, the teenager switched to his left foot to fire in a second goal after Messi found him on the left side of the penalty area.
They were Fati’s fourth and fifth goals of the season.
“[Fati] is having a breakout season and has great potential,” Barcelona coach Quique Setien said. “Today he made history with two goals, but he also helped the team in many other ways. He has a very promising future.”
Ruben Rochina got one back for Levante in stoppage-time after the visitors had threatened several times in the second half.
“The team competed well in a very difficult match,” Rochina said. “In the second half, we had our opportunities. They did too, but it is a pity we couldn’t take away something positive.”
While the win will help Setien settle in after a tough start replacing Ernesto Valverde, the second half showed the coach still has work to do to shore up Barcelona’s defense.
“It is worrying when you conceded so many chances, but we generated many chances as well and for me that is more important. The game could have ended 8-2 or 8-3,” Setien said.
Elsewhere, Getafe won 2-0 at Athletic Bilbao to rise to third place, moving ahead of Sevilla, who drew 1-1 at home with Deportivo Alaves.
Paco Alcacer had an ideal debut for new club Villarreal, scoring the opening goal and earning a penalty in a 3-1 win over CA Osasuna.
CD Leganes substitute Oscar Rodriguez scored from a free-kick deep in stoppage-time to snatch a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad, while Real Betis Balompie drew 1-1 at Sociedad Deportiva Eibar.
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