LIONEL MESSI AND Luis Suarez scored two goals each as Barcelona secured an impressive 5-0 win away to Real Betis on Sunday.
Betis held their own in a tight first half but they had no answer to Barca’s onslaught after the break. Ivan Rakitic opened the scoring before braces from Messi and Suarez capped a wonderful display.
The result sends Ernesto Valverde’s side 11 points clear at the top of the table, with Atletico Madrid having drawn with Girona and Valencia losing at Las Palmas on Saturday.
Betis had won their previous two matches, scoring eight goals in the process, and they stayed true to their bold pressing approach under Quique Setien during a keenly contested opening 45 minutes.
Barca’s control had been growing, though, despite the loss of Thomas Vermaelen to injury towards the end of the first half, and they deserved the lead given to them by former Sevilla captain Rakitic in the 59th minute.
Messi then fired home with aplomb after good play from Sergio Busquets and Suarez finished well from Rakitic’s cross to complete a devastating spell for the visitors and leave the home fans stunned.
A mazy Messi run and finish made it 4-0 with 11 minutes left and Suarez steered his strike partner’s pass high into the net in the 90th minute for a fifth, giving Barca a firmer grip on the title race and a 14th game without defeat against Betis.
25 - Lionel Messi is the only La Liga player to score 25+ goals in each of the last 10 seasons in all competitions. Tireless. pic.twitter.com/Ria8Ivz1oP
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) January 21, 2018
The home side began on the front foot, with Andres Guardado firing narrowly wide after only three minutes, as Barca struggled to get to grips with the home side’s ferocious work-rate.
The visitors slowly settled as Betis began to drop deeper, though, and Sergi Roberto missed a good chance to break the deadlock 25 minutes in when he fired Suarez’s lay-off over the bar.
Messi was becoming increasingly involved and he was next to come close to the opening goal, rippling the side-netting from six yards out after Suarez had played him in with a fine pass.
The half ended in disappointment for Barca, though, as Vermaelen limped off with what looked like a hamstring problem, with Samuel Umtiti on to replace him for his first appearance in LaLiga since December 2.
The injury did little to throw the visitors out of their stride as their pressure grew in the second half and they at last found the breakthrough just before the hour mark.
Suarez’s superb throughball picked out the run from Rakitic, who had plenty of time to stride towards goal and slot the ball left-footed beneath Antonio Adan and into the net.
5 - Ivan Rakitic has scored five goals against Real Betis in La Liga, his favourite opponent in the competition. Seville. pic.twitter.com/izoStf2AyX
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) January 21, 2018
Five minutes later, the game was effectively over. Busquets robbed Fabian Ruiz in his own half and played the ball through to Messi, who turned to face Adan and rifled a low shot into the right-hand corner.
Suarez made certain of the points in the 69th minute, the Uruguay star volleying Rakitic’s cross off the turf and into the bottom-right corner after some more fine play from Messi.
Betis’ fight had all but evaporated and they allowed Messi to score his 19th league goal of the season in style, the 30-year-old weaving his way into the penalty area before side-footing past a disconsolate Adan.
There was just enough time for Messi to lay on a fifth for Suarez and cap a brilliant display, the former Liverpool man blasting the ball high into the net from 12 yards out for his 100th goal in Spain’s top flight after his strike partner had squeezed the ball into his path.
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Eason’s, or order it here today (€10):
If u don’t care don’t vote
God some people are just too cool! If only I had thought of coming up with such a cool opening line! But evidently it’s off to school for me for not being cool enough!
I can’t believe it’s almost 50/50 here. What business do the managers have in dictating who should be commentating on games?
And in even bringing up the issue like this so publicly, they’ve effectively made it so RTE cannot back down on this, where some private words may have had some influence.
The self righteousness of the GAA community can be exasperating sometimes.
Amazing that it is almost 50/50! Considering most of the “commenters” seem to be supporting RTE’s stance.
Any chance of a “I don’t care option on the poll”
Then just don’t bother with it surely.
I didn’t
Who runs RTE, the GAA ?. Stick to the football lads, it’s what you do best, most of the time.
Ya managers should be spending more time worrying about on the field antics rather than off the field. Are these the same guys who complain about players rising up and going on strike and players tweeting? Surely this is the same kind of antics under different circumstances!
Why is an RTE IR issue anything but the business of RTE itself?
The GAA managers can comment on an individual basis if they like, but it’s nothing to do with them.
This meddling, on a wider scale, is the same mindset that led to the church trying to run the country, and the GAA in a former incarnation, trying to do likewise.
If it were a group of, say, politicians refusing to engage with a political commentator, there would be uproar.
Mind you, FF tried that before the last election, but that’s not exactly a surprise.
The GAA managers shpuld mind their own business and do what they are hired to do and getting weel paid for it……sshh dont tell anyone that last bit!! lol
I’m agreeing with the managers but only because I can’t stand canning or morrisey commentating. It’s a very odd situation though.
I’m with RTE for the reverse. :-)
He’s a dreadful commentator who emphasises all of the prepositions in his delivery. *In* Croke Park, *on* the halfway line etc. Couple his high pitched whine with his stock phrases of ‘a man called…’ and ‘none other than…’ and it’s enough to have me chewing the steering wheel!
Heaven forbid you’d want to know the score in a game either. I’ve often writhed through five or ten minutes of his ramblings just to get a score check.
Can’t abide his commentary. It’s an I’ll wind…
I’ve heard he’s being lined up for the Olympic Games as one of the lead commentators next year. Now if thats a snub then I take it any time. These guys should stick to the field and leave external politics out of it.
What did Carthy do to put RTE of side anyway.
Just a shite commentator. Should get ANY matches at any level. Pure drivel.
The managers should mind their own business.
I’m with Gus. His RISING pitch drives me loopy.
I don’t care!
There should be a neither of the above option. Carthy shouldn’t be lead commentator but the managers have a point in being annoyed at the way RTÉ prioritise – or don’t prioritise – GAA games. That’s the fundamental point.
See if I care….
I wonder how would the GAA Managers feel if RTE got onto the President of the GAA and said “We’re not covering any of your matches until so and so is appointed Manager of X county. talk about nonsense.
can’t have the manager’s telling us licence payer’s ,who to employ like the old day’s of the church telling us what to watch, seen that mickey harte is from tyrone does he even have a tv licence for rte.
Should be a Neither option on this Poll. Its Pointless!! RTE is and alway will be a Click anyhow!! Mind you Andy Gray and Richard Keyes are doin nothing at the moment. might spice up the camogie final!!!! Just joking!!!!!