Barcelona 2-1 Athletic Bilbao: Messi hits landmark goal in hard-earned win

Lionel Messi showed exactly why he was given a lucrative contract as his 650th Barcelona goal helped Ronald Koeman’s side to a slender 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao.

A report by El Mundo claimed the deal Messi signed at Camp Nou in 2017, which expires at the end of this season, is worth more than €555million.

He demonstrated his value to this Barca team midway through the first half on Sunday with his 49th successful free-kick strike for the Catalan giants.

Jordi Alba put through his own net early in the second half to draw Athletic level, but Antoine Greizmann ensured Barca leapfrogged Sevilla and Real Madrid into second – 10 points behind leaders Atletico Madrid – with a close-range finish 16 minutes from time.

FULL TIME! pic.twitter.com/api2r5ikV7

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 31, 2021

Unai Simon twice denied Barca inside the opening seven minutes, first pawing away Messi’s clipped effort from close range before diverting Griezmann’s powerful drive over the crossbar.

There was little the Athletic goalkeeper could do to deny Messi after 20 minutes, the Argentinian whipping a sumptuous free-kick into the top right corner from 25 yards.

Ronald Araujo fizzed an effort wide soon after, while Ousmane Dembele lashed over from a promising position shortly before the interval as Barca dominated.

Athletic drew level four minutes after the interval, however, as Alba turned Raul Garcia’s left-wing cross into his own net under pressure from Oscar De Marcos at the back post.

Simon superbly kept out Miralem Pjanic’s header shortly before the hour mark, while Griezmann nodded wide from Dembele’s teasing cross.

The France international had the final say, though, sliding home Oscar Mingueza’s low cross into the roof of Simon’s net to seal a fourth consecutive win in all competitions for Barca.

What does it mean? Barca keep faint title hopes alive

Following Atletico’s 4-2 win over Cadiz earlier in the day, anything other than a win for Koeman’s side would have seen their already slim title chances all but extinguished. Another Messi-inspired triumph just about keeps them in the mix, though, and goes some way to avenging the 3-2 Supercopa de Espana defeat to Athletic a fortnight ago.

Messi demonstrates his value again

The figures in his contract are remarkable, but as long as he keeps delivering displays like this you will not hear too many complaints from Barca fans. Messi had more shots and made more key passes than any Barca player, while he won 80 per cent of a game-high 20 duels.

Pedri fails to shine

Pedri might yet be the heir to Messi’s throne but the 18-year-old was off the pace here. He failed to register a single shot or make a key pass to a team-mate, although on the plus side he did gain possession 12 times – the joint most of any player on the pitch.

What’s next?

Both sides have Copa del Rey quarter-finals in midweek, with Barca travelling to Granada on Wednesday and Athletic visiting Real Betis a day later.