24 April,2021 09:49 AM IST | Madrid | AFP
Barcelona striker Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring against Getafe at the Camp Nou Stadium on Thursday. Pic/AFP
Lionel Messi gave up the chance for a hat-trick on Thursday as Barcelona held off a late fightback from Getafe to win 5-2 and stay in the race at the top of La Liga.
Messi scored twice and could have had a third in injury-time at Camp Nou but deferred a penalty to Antoine Griezmann, who completed what was in the end a comfortable victory. "He's the best in the world, he never lets up," said Barca coach Ronald Koeman.
Ronald Koeman
"If he lowers his concentration you never notice. Hopefully, he stays for many more years."
After beating Athletic Bilbao to lift the Copa del Rey last weekend, Barca are now in the hunt for the double, sitting five points behind Atletico Madrid but still with a game in hand.
Earlier, Atletico Madrid made it back-to-back wins for the first time since January by beating Huesca 2-0 to reclaim their place at the top. Angel Correa and Yannick Carrasco secured a morale-boosting victory at the Wanda Metropolitano after a controversial few days for Atletico. Meanwhile, Getafe were wearing t-shirts in protest against the European Super League, even as they gave Barcelona a guard of honour to mark the Catalans' Cup success.
Messi got to work in the eighth minute, slid through by a piercing pass by Sergio Busquets and sending a shot into the far top corner, despite a touch by Getafe goalkeeper David Soria. Yet Getafe were level four minutes later as Angel met Marc Cucurella's cross and the ball cannoned off the unsuspecting Clement Lenglet and flew in. Another own-goal restored Barca's lead, this one more avoidable, with Sofian Chakla failing to spot Soria coming out before passing the ball beyond the goalkeeper and into his own net. The game looked secure when Messi made it three. Lenglet's looping header gave him the chance to volley left-footed against the far post but the ball arrowed back to the striker, who finished from the angle with his right.
Getafe teed up a nervy last 20 minutes when Ronald Araujo, on as a substitute, trod on the ankle of Enes Unal, who scored the penalty to give the visitors hope. But Barcelona pulled away with two late goals, Araujo heading in a corner from Messi, who then passed up the chance to score his third by giving Griezmann his first.
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