Lionel Messi on Thursday gave up the chance for a hat-trick as Barcelona held off a late fightback from Getafe to win 5-2 and stay in the race at the top of La Liga.
Messi scored twice and could have had a third in stoppage-time at the Camp Nou, but deferred a penalty to Antoine Griezmann, who completed what was in the end a comfortable victory.
“He’s the best in the world, he never lets up,” Barca coach Ronald Koeman said of Messi. “If he lowers his concentration, you never notice. Hopefully he stays for many more years.”
Photo: AFP
After beating Athletic Bilbao to lift the Copa del Rey last weekend, Barca are now in the hunt for the double, sitting five points behind Atletico Madrid, but still with a game in hand.
Atletico earlier brushed aside SD Huesca 2-0 to register back-to-back victories for the first time since January, and with Real Madrid also seeing off Cadiz on Wednesday, there is no margin for error now in a thrilling battle for the title.
None of Spain’s leading trio appear to have been affected by an incredible few days off the pitch, which saw Real Madrid, Atletico and Barcelona all sign up for the European Super League on Sunday.
Atletico withdrew from the breakaway competition on Wednesday, but Barca and Real Madrid remain part of a project that would transform the fabric of European soccer.
Getafe were wearing T-shirts in protest against the European Super League, even as they gave Barcelona a guard of honor to mark the Catalans’ success in the Copa.
Messi got to work in the eighth minute, slid through by a piercing pass by Sergio Busquets and sending a shot into the far top corner, despite a touch by Getafe goalkeeper David Soria.
Getafe were level four minutes later as Angel met Marc Cucurella’s cross and the ball cannoned off the unsuspecting Clement Lenglet and flew in.
Another own-goal restored Barca’s lead, this one more avoidable, with Sofian Chakla failing to spot Soria coming out before passing the ball beyond the goalkeeper and into his own net.
The game looked secure when Messi made it three. Lenglet’s header gave him the chance to volley left-footed against the far post, but the ball arrowed back to the striker, who finished from the angle with his right.
Getafe teed up a nervy last 20 minutes when Ronald Araujo, on as a substitute, trod on the ankle of Enes Unal, who scored the penalty to give the visitors hope.
However, Barcelona pulled away with two late goals, Araujo heading in a corner from Messi, who then passed up the chance to score his third by giving Griezmann his first.
Elsewhere, Real Sociedad came from behind to defeat RC Celta de Vigo 2-1 and Granada routed SD Eibar 4-1.
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