Levante 0-5 Barcelona: Lionel Messi on target as table toppers thrash 10-men
The Lionel Messi reinvention continues apace with the four-times Balon d’Or winner showing once again that he is now very much king of the assists for Barcelona.
The
Argentine finally got on the score sheet with Barca’s fifth, but more
importantly for Luis Enrique's team he broke down the home side’s
defence with a glorious pass for Neymar’s opener.
Dropping
back into midfield he was the architect of Barcelona's carousel passing
on the rain-soaked pitch at the Cuitat de Valencia stadium and when he
set up Sandro in the second half it was his sixth assist of the season.
He
missed a first-half penalty but finally got on the scoresheet when
Levante keeper Jesus Fernandez had a ‘Gary Sprake’ moment throwing the
ball, not into his own net as the Leeds keeper did against Liverpool in
1967, but the next worse thing in the circumstances – straight to Messi
who scored.
He
deserved his goal and his full return to form has helped give Barcelona
a 100 per cent record at the start of the season. They are six points
clear of Real Madrid and have yet to concede a goal in four league
games.
They
could have taken an early lead through Jeremy Mathieu but he stabbed a
shot with his favoured left foot weakly at the keeper from close range
when a right-footed finish would have been preferable.
Barça
paid for their failure to take that early lead as Levante grew in
confidence. Victor Camarasi played the ball forward to Jose Morales and
he raced away from Mathieu but Ivan Rakitic saved the day charging back
to make a goal-saving challenge at the far post.
A
wet night in Levante can be as tough as the proverbial cold night in
Stoke and Barcelona were struggling to impose themselves in the rain –
not helped by Neymar’s wayward finishing. He
missed a one-on-one with Jesus Fernandez in the Levante goal and then
seemed intimidated by the out-rushing keeper as they both went for a
lofted Javier Mascherano pass.
The
Brazilian was getting plenty of opportunities with Messi starting to
impose himself in midfield and finally the opening goal came. Messi
played in Neymar with a superb pass and he rounded Fernandez to slot
home. It was the Brazilian’s third goal of the season and Messi’s fifth
assist. He
has become the new king of the perfectly-weighted through ball in
Xavi's absence and his magic had set Barcelona on their way.
He could
and should have made it two but shot well wide from the spot after being
brought down by Lucas Vyntra. The Greek defender was sent off harshly
and now Levante really were in trouble chasing Barcelona’s ten men with
their nine outfield players. Rakitic rifled in from distance to make it two after Rodas’ clearance ran straight to him.
Neymar
played very little part in the rest of the game. He fell badly on his
left ankle and received lengthy treatment on the far side of the pitch
with Doctor Ricard Pruna in attendance.
He
got back to his feet and was convinced he would be fine to carry on but
the Barça bench had already got Sandro stripped and changed to come on:
the Brazilian was not impressed.
