Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann, two double and everything is better! The two superstars offered a new victory (4-0) to the resurgent FC Barcelona, Saturday in Granada for the 18th day of La Liga, and allowed Barça to pick up three points from Real Madrid, hung by Osasuna (0-0).
The all-star duo shines brightly: with an opportunistic goal (12th) and a perfectly balanced recovery (64th), the French world champion played the best with his Argentine captain, also a double scorer, on a pass from Griezmann (35th) and a direct free kick millimeter (43rd), three days after his double against Bilbao (3-2).
One year to the day after the start of the long Catalan stampede in Saudi Arabia in the Spanish Super Cup, with the dismissal of Ernesto Valverde and the appointment of Quique Setién, Barça is reborn in 2021.
“Need Messi”
In the wake of their two stars, the Catalans completely extinguished the Andalusians, yet volunteers at the start, with a big opportunity saved by Marc-André ter Stegen from the 2nd minute … but who had to finish the match at ten after the exclusion of Jesus Vallejo (78th).
Messi, replaced by Martin Braithwaite in the 65th, thus became the top scorer in the Spanish league with 11 goals in 17 matches, and Griezmann put an end to a small shortage that had lasted for eight matches in all competitions.
“Barça need Leo (Messi), for his game, his importance in creating chances, and above all for his efficiency. It’s something very important that you need to fight for titles. (…) Lately, he’s been very good, ”praised Koeman at a post-match press conference.
Barça are now four small points behind leaders Atlético Madrid, who on Saturday saw their match against Bilbao postponed – even though they already have three fewer matches – due to the historic snowstorm that is currently shooting down Madrid and much of the Iberian Peninsula. And three points from the eternal rival, Real Madrid, dolphin numbed by the cold in Osasuna in the evening (0-0).
This great success in Andalusia was the opportunity to see the Catalan midfielder Sergio Busquets play his 600th game in the Blaugrana jersey, and thus invite himself to the table of Xavi (767), Messi (752) and Iniesta (674). ), the three other legends of the club to have passed this milestone.
Real, numb
In Pamplona, the evening was much colder for Zinédine Zidane: on a ground stained with white in the midst of a snowstorm which hit Spain this weekend, the “Merengues” were hung 0-0 by the forward. last of La Liga, Osasuna.
The Madrileños had the worst difficulties to land in Pamplona on Friday evening due to the weather conditions, with a delay of almost three hours. On Saturday, they largely dominated, but stumbled against the impermeability of the Navarre curtain, like this spectacular reflex stop by Sergio Herrera on a recovery from the head of Karim Benzema (65th).
Eden Hazard, holder for the first time since November 25 (against Inter Milan in C1, 2-0) after having treated his injury to the right thigh, was not sharp enough to allow Real to pocket the three points.
Real are extending their streak of nine unbeaten matches in all competitions (two draws and seven wins since early December).
At the end of the afternoon, in the duel of the contenders for the C1, Sevilla FC won 3-2 against Real Sociedad thanks to a hat-trick from Moroccan center-forward Youssef En-Nesyri (4th, 7th, 46th), after a crazy start to the match with four goals in the first quarter of an hour.
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