Messi scores twice as Barcelona closes in on Spanish title
Source: Agencies |
May 7, 2013, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
LIONEL Messi scored two goals within 15 minutes of coming on as a substitute to give Barcelona a 4-2 comeback win over Real Betis on Sunday and push his team to the brink of the Spanish league title.
After his teammates had rallied back twice to level at 2-2, Messi went on in the 56th. Four minutes later he curled in a free kick to extend his record scoring streak to 21 straight league appearances.
The forward struck again in the 71st by polishing off a superb passing combination with Andres Iniesta and Alexis Sanchez to reach the 60-goal mark in all competitions for the second straight season.
"We know Messi is the best," Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said. "We know every time he comes on he will give us something."
Barcelona leads by 11 points with four games to play and would clinch its 22nd domestic crown if defending champion Real Madrid drops points against Malaga tomorrow.
Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova, 44, could miss the title celebrations if they are crowned La Liga champions tomorrow as he will be in New York having a medical check up.
"On Monday, I am going to New York for some scheduled tests and I will be back on Thursday," Vilanova told the post-match news conference.
Vilanova spent two months in New York earlier this year having radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment for cancer and returned to the dugout in March. He had an operation to remove a tumor from his saliva glands in November 2011 and required a second round of surgery in December.
Messi has been hampered for the past month by a right hamstring injury.
"Against Messi, you can't do anything," said Betis coach Pepe Mel, whose team remained in seventh place. "At San Mames he ran through opposing players like they were cones. And here, the first ball he touches he puts it right inside the corner of the goal frame. It was like it had been scripted."
Elsewhere on Sunday, Real Zaragoza beat Rayo Vallecano 3-0 while Mallorca remained in last place after drawing 1-1 with Levante. Sevilla rolled to a 3-0 victory over Espanyol.
After his teammates had rallied back twice to level at 2-2, Messi went on in the 56th. Four minutes later he curled in a free kick to extend his record scoring streak to 21 straight league appearances.
The forward struck again in the 71st by polishing off a superb passing combination with Andres Iniesta and Alexis Sanchez to reach the 60-goal mark in all competitions for the second straight season.
"We know Messi is the best," Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said. "We know every time he comes on he will give us something."
Barcelona leads by 11 points with four games to play and would clinch its 22nd domestic crown if defending champion Real Madrid drops points against Malaga tomorrow.
Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova, 44, could miss the title celebrations if they are crowned La Liga champions tomorrow as he will be in New York having a medical check up.
"On Monday, I am going to New York for some scheduled tests and I will be back on Thursday," Vilanova told the post-match news conference.
Vilanova spent two months in New York earlier this year having radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment for cancer and returned to the dugout in March. He had an operation to remove a tumor from his saliva glands in November 2011 and required a second round of surgery in December.
Messi has been hampered for the past month by a right hamstring injury.
"Against Messi, you can't do anything," said Betis coach Pepe Mel, whose team remained in seventh place. "At San Mames he ran through opposing players like they were cones. And here, the first ball he touches he puts it right inside the corner of the goal frame. It was like it had been scripted."
Elsewhere on Sunday, Real Zaragoza beat Rayo Vallecano 3-0 while Mallorca remained in last place after drawing 1-1 with Levante. Sevilla rolled to a 3-0 victory over Espanyol.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
