GOATs are gonna GOAT.
Lionel Messi had a goal and an assist as Barcelona pushed one of its title threats a bit back with a 2-0 win at Sevilla on Saturday.
Messi found Ousmane Dembele with a sensational through ball before keeping hold of a bounding ball on a mazy dribble to salt away the points for Barca.
[ MORE: Three things from Man City – West Ham ]
Barca moves back above Real Madrid by a point, though their Clasico rivals have played one fewer match. Atletico Madrid remains two points clear of Barca, having played two fewer matches than Ronald Koeman’s Blaugranas.
Sevilla is five back of Barca with a match-in-hand.
Atleti hosts Villarreal on Sunday, while Real Madrid hosts fifth-place Real Sociedad. The Madrid derby is March 7 and the next El Clasico is April 11 in Madrid. Atleti visits Barca on May 9.
From Argentina to France with love 🇦🇷➡️🇫🇷
Lionel Messi finds Ousmane Dembele as the Frenchman converts Barcelona's opening goal against Sevilla.#SevillaFCBarça LIVE NOW ⬇️
📺 beIN SPORTS
💻📱CONNECT https://t.co/LRYa03w6yI pic.twitter.com/11SfKa2tGI— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) February 27, 2021
Barca limited Sevilla to two shots on target, holding 56 percent of the ball and taking nine shots.
Messi’s 19 goals lead La Liga, three more than Luis Suarez. He also has four assists in 1,645 minutes.
Only Robert Lewandowski (34), Bruno Fernandes (25), Harry Kane (24), and Kylian Mbappe (24) have more goal contributions than Messi in a top five league this season. All have played more minutes, the nearest being Mbappe’s hour-plus more on the pitch.
Here’s the Messi goal.
If we one day find out that Messi found a way to put imperceptible magnets in the ball, his shin guards, and feet, it might make more sense. Instead, it’s just something sacred inside this guy.
Another day in the office for Lionel Messi! 🇦🇷🐐
The Argentine picks up his 19th league goal of the season and gives Barcelona a 2-0 lead over Sevilla. #SevillaFCBarca pic.twitter.com/ldDyG3jm6d
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) February 27, 2021
