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Barcelona 3-0 Elche: Lionel Messi scores twice in comfortable win


Lionel Messi has now scored 18 goals in La Liga this season
Lionel Messi has now scored 18 goals in La Liga this season

Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona beat Elche to move within five points of La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid.

The Argentina forward found the bottom corner to open the scoring from Martin Braithwaite’s backheel after the break.

The 33-year-old then doubled the lead 20 minutes later, finishing smartly after a wonderful solo run and pass from Dutchman Frenkie de Jong.

Jordi Alba wrapped up the win at the Camp Nou shortly after when he converted from Braithwaite’s header.

Messi’s double takes him top of the La Liga scoring chart with 18 goals, two more than Luis Suarez.

Barcelona are third in the table behind Atletico and Real Madrid, albeit having played a game more than the leaders.

Sevilla can also move back above them if they win their game in hand.

Line-ups

Barcelona

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1ter Stegen
  • 28Mingueza
  • 3PiquéSubstituted forLengletat 77′minutes
  • 23Umtiti
  • 18AlbaSubstituted forDestat 77′minutes
  • 21de Jong
  • 8PjanicSubstituted forDembéléat 45′minutes
  • 16González
  • 17Machado TrincãoSubstituted forBusquetsat 67′minutes
  • 10Messi
  • 9BraithwaiteSubstituted forGriezmannat 76′minutes

Substitutes

  • 2Dest
  • 5Busquets
  • 7Griezmann
  • 11Dembélé
  • 12Puig
  • 13Murara Neto
  • 15Lenglet
  • 19Fernandes Siqueira
  • 24Firpo
  • 26Peña
  • 29De la Fuente

Elche

Formation 3-4-2-1

  • 13Badia
  • 19Barragán
  • 5Verdú
  • 24Sánchez Guillén
  • 23Garrido CifuentesSubstituted forChaves de la Torreat 60′minutes
  • 14Gutiérrez Parejo
  • 6MfuluSubstituted forSánchez Benítezat 81′minutes
  • 25Mojica
  • 10MillaSubstituted forMartinez Modestoat 72′minutes
  • 22RigoniSubstituted forMorente Olivaat 60′minutes
  • 9BoyéSubstituted forCarrilloat 72′minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Gazzaniga
  • 7Martinez Modesto
  • 11Morente Oliva
  • 12Calvo Sanromán
  • 15Sánchez Benítez
  • 16Chaves de la Torre
  • 18Palacios Zapata
  • 21Carrillo
  • 26Donald
  • 32Barri
  • 37Carmona Álamo
  • 45Andreu

Referee:
Isidro Díaz de Mera Escuderos

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Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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