Day 11 of LaLiga 2019/2020: FC Barcelona 5-1 Real Valladolid
Messi shoots with arc and shoots of the Barça
The precision of a Messi unleashed gives the provisional leadership to Barça
Hard corrective for a Valladolid that loses six days later
Messi finishes off the blanquivioleta goal
Fighting hand-to-hand in a war has always carried a lot of risk. Therefore, at some point archery was invented. From a distance, prudently and with precision, many soldiers have survived and returned home successfully. In the Middle Ages, in the World Wars and at the Camp Nou. Today, against Valladolid, Messi's precision was reminiscent of Robin Hood's. If the English archer snatched the gold from the rich, the Argentine has snatched, for at least two days, the leadership to the surprising Granada in a new home exhibition.
The game was put face to face with Barça from the beginning. There was an early goal again, by the shooter Lenglet. In a carom from the white-and-violet rear, the Frenchman nailed the first arrow to Masip with a volley. However, the battlefield turned a Prague face. And it is that far from activating them, the goal caused excessive relaxation in the premises. And one step ahead of Valladolid.
Unlike the Champions League game, this time the jug of cold water arrived with a lot of reaction time. After warning the pucelanos a couple of times, finally Kiko Olivas found a rebound from Ter Stegen in front of the goal. Draw and start over for Valverde's men. Cool head, archery and take refuge in his exquisite left wing.
Jordi Alba demonstrated his growing understanding with a Frenkie de Jong unleashed. Supported by the left-handed side, the Dutchman skated on the green with his classic conductions, and also greased his bow like good pencils. In one of those, he gave an arrow to Vidal, which he could not take advantage of by millimeters. Yes, the Chilean managed to nail the one he received from goalkeeper Messi, to once again overtake the Catalans.
The Argentine's absence in five games at this start of the League has only given the mortals a slight and necessary advantage in the fight for the Golden Boot. Today he used his multipurpose bow again. On two occasions to yield arrows, and on as many to nail them. He distributed two assists to be La Liga co-leader in this section, scored the fiftieth free-kick goal of his career and scored a goal from a born center forward to get within a hat-trick of the Pichichi head. And he opened mouths again with his traditional dribbling repertoire. Óscar Plano vintage spout included. Almost nothing!
Barça footballers celebrate Messi's goal
Going two goals behind at halftime was a big slab for a Valladolid that wanted but could not extend the field. The lanes Nacho and Pedro Porro were bottled up and, in the face of Barça's prudence, Sergi Guardiola and Waldo barely enjoyed counterattacks. Because Piqué and Vidal were always there to pass the broom.
Less successful was Ansu Fati. The canterano got the sheets stuck on his return to school, after a month without minutes with the harlequin shirt. It was very imprecise for what the Barça public is accustomed to. Of course, a gala ovation for the child prodigy when he left his place to Griezmann.
The second half, with Messi's final double and the goal of an unprecedented Suárez, did not have much history for a team that, worth the redundancy, at home feels like home. A lot of Camp Nou for Sergio González's team. Another team that leaves that web of Les Corts empty. Barça has six victories out of six at home, with 23 goals in favor and 7 against, and Sergio González's were no exception.
The win, then, was a harsh corrective for a harmless Valladolid, which, yes, will continue to be installed one more day in a worthy middle zone of the classification. Meanwhile, Barça clings to the lead and sets cruising speed, waiting for the Granada match, but with the Clásico still to be disputed and with renewed morale after the European scare. Messi shot with an arc at the Camp Nou and the Camp Nou had a new crush on Messi.
DATA SHEET
FC Barcelona (5) : Ter Stegen; Semedo, Piqué, Lenglet, Jordi Alba (Sergi Roberto, m. 78 '); Busquets, Arturo Vidal; Frenkie De Jong (Rakitić, m. 60 '); Messi, Luis Suárez, Ansu Fati (Griezmann, m. 63 ').
Real Valladolid (1) : Jordi Masip; Pedro Porro, Joaquín Fernández, Kiko Olivas, Barba, Nacho Martínez (Salisu, m. 32 '); Míchel, Anuar (Pablo Hervías, d. 523), Óscar Plano (Enes Ünal, d. 66 '); Sergi Guardiola, Waldo Rubio
Referee : Alberola Rojas (La Mancha Committee). He admonished Joaquín Fernández Moreno (45 '), Sergi Guardiola (68') and Míchel Herrero (79 ') with yellow card.
Goals : 1-0, 2 ': Lenglet. 1-1, 15 ': Kiko Olivas. 2-1, 29 ': Arturo Vidal. 3-1, 34 ': Messi. 4-1, 75 ': Messi. 5-1, 77 ': Luis Suárez.
Incidents : Match day 11 of the First Division of the 2019/2020 season, played at the Camp Nou stadium in front of 59,896 spectators.