Barcelona won in the 25th week of the Spanish League after beating Eibar 5-0 through Lionel Messi’s quattrick at the Nou Camp Stadium on Saturday (22/2).
Eibar’s visitors surprised Barcelona at the start of the match by scoring in the fourth minute through Sergi Enrich’s header after using a cross from the left. However, the goal was disallowed by referee Cesar Soto because Enrich was first in an offside position.
Lionel Messi gave Barcelona a 1-0 lead over Eibar in the 14th minute. La Pulga’s opening goal was sensationally after receiving Ivan Rakitic’s pass past three Eibar players before releasing a flick to the left side of goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic.
Messi again showed his action in the 37th minute. After getting a pass from Arturo Vidal, Messi dribbled the ball past a number of Eibar defenders. In a position without escort Messi returned to place the ball into the left corner of the Eibar goal.
Argentina national team captain hat trick in the 40th minute. Messi delivers the ball for Antoine Griezmann to finish. But the French striker failed to control the ball well after being tackled by the opposing player. However, the ball returned to Messi who immediately kicked with his left foot into the Eibar goal.
The hat trick is the third for Messi in the Spanish League this season after against Celta Vigo and Real Mallorca.
In the 50th minute Barcelona could add a score of 4-0 if only Griezmann could use Messi’s breakthrough bait. However, the ball from Messi was closer to Nelson Semedo.
The Portuguese defender first took off his right-footed shot which ended up just sideways on the right side of Eibar’s goal, even though Griezmann had a more ideal position to make the final finish.
Samuel Umtiti broke into Eibar’s goal in the 76th minute. It’s just that the goal was not validated by the referee because Clement Lenglet who gave Umtiti a pass into Eibar’s offside device.
Messi’s free kick from outside the penalty box in the 79th minute can still be blocked by goalkeeper Dmitrovic.
Like Umtiti, Vidal’s goal in the 82nd minute was also ruled out by the ref because the French defender was in an offside position.
Dmitrovic had to be willing for the net to be broken for the fourth time by Messi in the match in the 87th minute. Quattrick Messi was created after Martin Braithwaite’s low cross was pushed over by Dmitrovic. But the edge of the ball can still be controlled by Messi. La Pulga then dribbled the ball a little out of Dmitrovic before scoring his fourth goal.
Midfielder Arthur closed Barcelona’s victory to 5-0 in the 89th minute after receiving a Braithwaite pass.