LIONEL MESSI PUSHES BARCA TO PERFECTION

The Argentine sat out most of Barcelona's
brilliant 4-0 win in the Clasico away to Real
Madrid on Saturday, but was back to show
why he is the best as the Catalans trounced
Roma
A stunning Suarez volley brought the third,
while Gerard Pique (who had been so
eager to net a fifth against Real Madrid on
Saturday) made it four after the break. And
Barca got their 'Manita' - that five-goal
advantage they so nearly secured at the
Santiago Bernabeu - through Messi again
on the hour.
By now, Neymar was keen to get involved
as well but he saw a penalty saved by
Wojciech Szczesny after Messi had
generously handed him the ball. Barca
were not to be denied, though, and
Adriano smashed home the rebound.
This was an exhibition. Roma came into the
Camp Nou clash as the only one of Italy's
elite teams never to have lost to Barca, but
Rudi Garcia's side saw that statistic
smashed into pieces on Tuesday.
And there is no shame in it either. This
Barca team claimed the treble of Liga,
Copa del Rey and Champions League titles
in 2014-15 and on this evidence it is hard
to see any other side stopping them from
becoming the first to win the continental
competition for a second consecutive
season.
Of the usual suspects, Madrid do not
currently seem capable of beating Barca -
especially after losing 4-0 at home to Luis
Enrique's side in the Clasico clash on
Saturday evening.
That leaves only Bayern Munich and Pep
Guardiola's men were torn apart by the
Blaugrana - and Messi - at Camp Nou in
the semi-finals of this tournament last
season.
And if anything, Barca are getting better.
Following a shaky start to the current
campaign and defeats to Athletic Bilbao (in
the Spanish Supercopa) Celta Vigo and
Sevilla (in La Liga), the Catalans have gone
from strength to strength in the absence of
their talisman.
With Messi out, Neymar and Suarez took
the reins and scored the goals to ensure
Barca not only kept pace with Madrid in
the Primera Division, but overtook them
prior to the Clasico at the Bernabeu on
Saturday.

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