Lionel Messi scored two gorgeous goals befitting the occasion as he moved level with Xavi as Barcelona's all-time record appearance-maker in Monday's 4-1 win over Huesca, moving the Blaugrana up to second in LaLiga.
The Barca captain was playing his 767th match for the club across all competitions and opened the scoring as Ronald Koeman's men closed the gap on leaders Atletico Madrid to four points, though there were a few scares along the way.
Messi's sumptuous effort got the ball rolling, as Barcelona's talisman became the first player in LaLiga history to net 20 goals in 13 successive campaigns, and Antoine Griezmann scored an arguably even better effort soon after for his 150th top-flight strike.
A farcical penalty allowed Huesca to pull one back through Rafa Mir, who also inexplicably wasted a remarkable opportunity in the wake of Oscar Mingueza making it 3-1, and Messi finished them off towards the end with another fine goal.
The game was just 13 minutes old when Messi made his mark, effortlessly bending a 20-yard effort around Alvaro Fernandez and into the top-left corner via the crossbar.
Jordi Alba almost made it 2-0 just past the half-hour when his shot from a tight angle was kept out by the frame of the goal, but two minutes later Griezmann picked out the same corner as Messi but from about 10 yards further out – his first league goal since the end of January.
Huesca got themselves a lifeline in bizarre circumstances just before the break, Mir converting a penalty after Marc-Andre ter Stegen was deemed to have fouled him when essentially brushing the striker's shin with his hand, the ball having flashed past both of them.
Barca restored the two-goal lead early in the second period, Mingueza getting his head to a Messi to open his account for the senior side.
Huesca should have reduced the deficit again a few moments later, though, as Mir somehow nudged the ball over the goal from under the crossbar with his chest after latching on to Dani Escriche's header across goal.
Messi capped off a wonderful individual display with his second goal in the 90th minute, receiving Francisco Trincao's pass and elegantly picking out the bottom-left corner from just outside the box.
Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour in Istanbul to watch Champions League final
Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour will attend the Champions League final on Saturday evening.
Club sources have confirmed to the PA news agency that the sheikh will be present in Istanbul as City face Inter Milan bidding to win Europe’s top club prize for the first time.
It will only be the second game he has attended since his investment vehicle, the Abu Dhabi United Group, purchased City in 2008.
Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak was also due to be at the showpiece match at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.
City have risen to become the dominant force in the English game under Mansour’s stewardship with the club having won seven Premier League titles in the past 12 years and five of the last six.
Victory in Turkey on Saturday would also see them become only the second English side to win the treble having already retained their domestic title and won the FA Cup.
City also now sit at the heart of a global network of 13 clubs known as the City Football Group.
Erling Haaland aware of the weight of Man City’s Champions League expectations
Erling Haaland admits the pressure is on as he prepares for Manchester City’s Champions League date with destiny.
The Premier League winners face Inter Milan on Saturday night bidding to claim the European crown for the first time.
Victory would not only end years of frustration and near-misses in pursuit of the continent’s top club prize but complete a glorious treble.
City’s outstanding season, which has also included winning the FA Cup as well as a fifth domestic league title in six years, has been fuelled by the goals of Haaland.
The prolific Norwegian has scored 52 times in an outstanding first season at the Etihad Stadium and is well aware the club hope he proves the final piece in their jigsaw.
“Of course I feel pressure,” the 22-year-old said. “I would lie if I said I didn’t.
“It’s true – they won the Premier League without me, they won every trophy without me. So I’m here to try to do a thing that the club has never done before and I’ll do my best.”
Winning the Champions League is also the chief reason manager Pep Guardiola was brought to the club.
Victory for him would end a 12-year wait to reclaim the trophy since the second of his two triumphs as Barcelona boss.
“It’s absolutely a dream,” said the Catalan. “What has happened in the past is in the past. It’s an incredible competition.
“Inter Milan is bigger than us in terms of history but what’s important is at 10pm Istanbul time we do the best performance possible and that can make the difference.”
Playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, who left the field injured in City’s final defeat to Chelsea two years ago, admits winning the competition has become an obsession as well as a dream.
“Maybe it’s both,” said the Belgium international. “Every professional player wants to win the Champions League and be on top.
“If you can win the Champions League, you’ve reached one of the biggest things you can.”
City have a fully-fit squad for the clash at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, which was also the venue for Liverpool’s remarkable victory in 2005.
Nerves and tension are likely to increase in the build-up to the match but defender Ruben Dias feels the team are ready to thrive in such circumstances.
“We love the pressure, we love it,” he said. “The pressure will make you run faster, jump higher, be more focused.
“That’s what these kind of games need and we need to embrace it. It’s another time for all of us to step up to the occasion.”
Vermes: Sporting Kansas City unlikely to sign Ronaldo
Sporting Kansas City are unlikely to make another move to try and sign Cristiano Ronaldo in an attempt to compete with Inter Miami bringing in Lionel Messi.
That is according to SKC coach Peter Vermes.
Sporting were interested in signing Ronaldo after the five-time Ballon d’Or winner left Manchester United late last year.
However, the MLS side could not make a deal work that would compete with the offer Ronaldo received from Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr.
It was confirmed this week that Messi would be joining SKC’s league rivals Miami, but Vermes shrugged off the chance of signing Ronaldo.
“No, he’s wrapped up for two years on a significant amount of money. I think the transfer fee would be a little out of our range,” he said ahead of SKC’s meeting with Austin FC.
“At the time when we were thinking about doing that deal, [Messi going to Miami] was in the back of our head, because there was talk of him going to Miami at the end of the world cup. It could have been – could have, should have, would have – those are all kinds of things in life. The fact that [Messi] is coming is tremendous.”
Vermes explained he is thrilled to see Messi come to MLS, comparing the Argentine to NBA icon Michael Jordan.
“I thought when David Beckham came to the league he had an incredible impact on our league, and the notoriety that got worldwide, he helped achieve a new bar in how people perceived our league,” he said.
“Messi’s the best player in the world, so to be able to have the best player in the world playing in the league that you’re involved in, that’s tremendous. It’s a huge opportunity for our league, it’s great in so many ways and from the fans’ perspective too. It’s like watching Michael Jordan play basketball – he’s from another planet that guy, when he plays.”
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