Lionel Messi again showed why he’s unquestionably worth every cent of what he’s been paid all this while – over the 17 years he’s been logging milestone upon historic milestone of conquests and stellar achievements in taking Barcelona to the Olympian pinnacles of glory in competitive football – as he yet again on a free kick scored a perfect goal arching over the heads of the wall of defenders rooted to the ground in utter disbelief as the ball then sufficiently dipped downwards to clear the top bar into the waiting net.
His goal, sublime yet majestic, immediately propelled the Blaugrana into the lead and an eventual 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish league on Sunday.
This 650th goal in Messi’s Barcelona career came amid the furore prompted by Spanish newspaper El Mundo’s report that his leaked contract is worth 555 million euros spread over four seasons. The Catalan club, already mired in debt and political turmoil, had to quickly deny any involvement in the leak.
French striker and teammate Antoine Griezmann also fired a beauty for Barcelona, which moved into second place in the chart for the first time this season after a querulous start. Barcelona now sit in joint second place with Real Madrid on 40 points although the Los Blancos are just ahead on goal difference. Atlético Madrid had earlier on widened their lead by 10 points after winning 4-2 at Cádiz with a brace by former comrade-in-arms and best mate, Luis Suárez.
“Messi has done a lot for this club and today he scored a great free kick goal,” said Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman, visibly agitated.
“We have to respect him. It seems there is bad intention and a desire to hurt him. Without Messi you can’t aspire too much.”
Messi, looking unperturbed by the Sunday leak gleefully spilling the beans on his contract arrangement and details, was in the driver’s seat from the start, navigating his team again to another crucial victory at Camp Nou. The Argentine maestro, fresh from a 2-match ban, opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a free kick shot that again defied and denied the rivals’ defensive barricade.
Athletic equalized with an own-goal by Jordi Alba as the defender blundered when he tried to clear a cross by Raúl García in the 49th minute, but a galvanized Griezmann put Barcelona ahead again after that, completing a cross by Óscar Mingueza in the 75th.
Athletic was trying to win its sixth consecutive match in all competitions, with this loss being only its second since coach Marcelino García Toral was signed in the beginning of the year – the first was also inflicted by Barcelona.
It was Barcelona’s first home match in 2021. It had played eight consecutive games away from the Camp Nou, including in the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.