IN SPORT.ES
On Monday Lionel Messi was judged to be the fifth best player in the world.
On Saturday he showed just how wrong that was.
The Argentine star scored two sensational free-kicks to help Barca thrash crosstown rivals Espanyol and move three points clear at the top of La Liga.
Barcelona annihilated their opponents in a sensational first half display which saw Messi, Ousmane Dembele and Luis Suarez on the scoresheet.
Messi’s 17th minute free-kick left Diego Lopez with no chance.
Then the forward produced a brilliant dribble and pass to set free Dembele for the second, taken expertly by the Frenchman.
Dembele set up Suarez for the third, with the Uruguayan bundling his way through and drilling home from the tightest of angles on the stroke of half time, to mark his return from injury.
Messi wrong-footed Diego Lopez with another free-kick after the break to seal the win and Oscar Duarte had a goal ruled out for offside by VAR as Barca saw out the game without fuss.