4-star Messi helps Barcelona rout Eibar; Celta ease relegation fears with Leganes win

Lionel Messi scored four goals as Barcelona began a crunch week in their season by thrashing Eibar 5-0 in La Liga on Saturday. Barca play away at in-form Napoli in the Champions League on Tuesday before facing title rivals Real Madrid next weekend, with pressure on the team, and Messi, amid a period of political turbulence at the club.

Yet on the pitch, Messi showed no sign of distraction as the 32-year-old completed the second fastest of his now 36 career hat-tricks, after just 40 minutes at Camp Nou.

Messi added a late fourth after being teed up by Martin Braithwaite, Barcelona’s emergency signing who enjoyed an excellent cameo off the bench by claiming two assists, the second for Arthur Melo in injury-time.

Braithwaite’s contribution and Messi’s return to form delivered a timely boost ahead of what could prove a pivotal few days in Barca’s season.

Messi had gone four games without a goal in La Liga, his longest drought since 2014, even if those matches saw him register five assists. He now has 22 goals in 28 appearances this term.

And Braithwaite’s arrival from Leganes on Thursday drew criticism after Barcelona capitalised on a curious La Liga rule that allows clubs to sign outside of the transfer window if they have lost a player to injury for more than five months.

Leganes, without their top scorer, were beaten earlier by fellow strugglers Celta Vigo but Braithwaite made the perfect start with his new team, to suggest he could yet prove a useful addition during the run-in.

Messi said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo last week that Barcelona, “the way we are now”, will not have enough to go all the way in the Champions League, placing further doubts around the direction of the club on the back of his public spat with technical secretary Eric Abidal.

The Argentinian also described as “strange” the allegations, which have been denied by the club, that president Josep Maria Bartomeu hired a PR company that has criticised Barca players, including Messi, on social media.

Whatever happens, the reward for the winner of the Clasico next weekend will now claim first place, in a meeting at the Santiago Bernabeu that could have a considerable psychological impact on the title race.

With Napoli to come first in midweek in the Champions League last 16 first leg, Bartomeu will hope this result against Eibar sets the tone for recovery, particularly given the fans had waved white handkerchiefs, whistled and sang songs in protest against the club’s president before kick-off.

Striker Iago Aspas scored in the second half to give10-man Celta Vigo a crucial 1-0 victory over relegation rival Leganés in the Spanish league on Saturday.

Aspas got the winner in the 62nd minute with a clever redirection of a free kick from Lucas Olaza and found the far corner of the goal.

The hosts won despite playing most of the match with 10 men because of a straight red card shown to Croatian midfielder Filip Bradaric for a hard foul in the 21st.

The victorylifted Celta out of the relegation spots. The Vigo team is now two points clear of 18th-place Mallorca, which drew 3-3 at Real Betis on Friday.

Leganés stayed second-to-last with the loss, tied on points with last-place Espanyol, which visits Valladolid on Sunday.

Leganés midfielder Óscar Rodríguez was shown a red card just before Aspas’ goal, but it was waived off after a video review.

The home victory for Celta followed a 2-2 draw against leader Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium last weekend. It had beaten fifth-place Sevilla at home before that.

Leganés has won only one of its last seven league games. The modest club from southern Madrid lost its main forward this week, Martin Braithwaite, in a transfer to Barcelona.

Agencies