Messi magic helps Barca back to winning ways

 

Lionel Messi came on at halftime to rescue Barcelona by scoring twice in a 5-2 victory over Real Betis on Saturday.

Messi had been rested by Ronald Koeman but was thrown on with the game in the balance after Antoine Griezmann missed a penalty in the Argentinian’s absence, before Antonio Sanabria cancelled out Ousmane Dembele’s opener.

But within four minutes of his introduction, Messi gave Griezmann an open goal with a superb dummy and then scored twice himself, the first a penalty that saw Betis’ Aissa Mandi sent off for a handball on the line.

In between, Loren Moron had given Betis brief hope by smashing in after a brilliant cutback.

But Messi’s second – his first goal from open play this season – and a late strike from Pedri ensured Barcelona ended their four-match winless run and climbed to eighth in LaLiga.