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Lionel Messi produces sensational display with four goals as Barcelona crush Eibar to go top of LaLiga

AFP via Getty Images
AFP via Getty Images

Lionel Messi hit four goals to end a recent scoring drought in style and new signing Martin Braithwaite made his debut as Barcelona strolled to a comprehensive 5-0 win at home to Eibar in LaLiga on Saturday.

The Argentine attacker had not netted in the league since Quique Setien’s opening game in charge, a 1-0 win over Granada in mid-January, but had set up six of the Catalans’ last seven goals.

And he was back to his brilliant best in front of goal here, netting the first after 14 minutes when he ran from deep, finding his way past three Eibar defenders on the edge of the area before dinking an exquisite chip past Markop Dmitrovic to open the scoring.

Messi made it 2-0 after 37 minutes after good link-up play from Sergio Busquets and Arturo Vidal, who slid a pass in for the Argentine down the left, the Barca captain beating Dmitrovic with a low shot inside the far post from a tight angle.

Setien's side were rampant at this point and Messi set up Antoine Griezmann in the area three minutes later, but the French forward was unable to control his pass and Cote’s attempted clearance fell into the path of the Argentine for an easy finish.

Further chances came and went in the second half as Setien made a number of changes ahead of a vital week for Barca, with the Catalans in action away to Napoli in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, before the Clasico clash against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.

Substitute Samuel Umtiti, on to give Gerard Pique a rest, saw a strike ruled out for offside, as did Vidal later in the game.

Eibar also had an effort chalked off for a dangerous foot by Arbilla, with striker Sergi Enrich also having seen a header disallowed for offside early in the game.

Frenkie de Jong had earlier come on to replace Busquets and in his last change, Setien sent on Braithwaite for his Barca debut.

The Danish striker, signed from Leganes on Thursday for €18 million, came on to replace Griezmann for the final 18 minutes and after Messi had walked in a fourth goal with three minutes left, he helped to create a fifth.

The 28-year-old’s shot from the left of the area was kept out by Dmitrovic, but the ball ran to Arthur Melo for a simple tap-in at the far post to round off an emphatic win at Camp Nou.

Barca move provisionally two clear of Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga, with Los Blancos in action away to Levante later on Saturday.

Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Junior; Rakitic, Busquets, Arthur, Vidal; Messi, Griezmann.

Subs: Neto, Braithwaite, Sergi Roberto, De Jong, Umtiti, Ansu Fati, Akieme.

Eibar XI: Dmitrovic; Tejero, Burgos, Arbilla, Cote; Diop, Edu Exposito, Escalante; Orellana, Inui, Sergi Enrich.

Subs: Sergio Alvarez, Yoel Rodriguez, Oliveira, De Blasis, Cristoforo, Pedro Leon; Quique Gonzalez.