In the 19th minute of Barcelona’s La Liga encounter with Villarreal, Quique Setien’s side restored their lead after some inspired work by Lionel Messi.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner expertly held off a challenge to control the ball after Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s goal kick before effortlessly flicking the ball over a Villarreal player.
Messi charged forward and held off pressure from two players before slipping the ball into Luis Suarez’s path, the talisman curled the ball into the top corner with a superb first-time finish.
Barcelona took the lead less than three minutes in after Pau Torres’ own-goal denied Antoine Griezmann the chance to score a superb back-heel flick.
Take a look at Suarez’s spectacular finish below:
What a goal from Barcelona! ?
Messi plucks the ball out of the air from the goal kick, sets off on a mazy run, and then Suarez bends one into the far corner ?
2-1 inside 20 minutes in a thriller! ? pic.twitter.com/U2UYeTpk9o
— Premier Sports ? (@PremierSportsTV) July 5, 2020
Pictures from Premier Sports and La Liga TV.
Barcelona have looked much more fluid in the final third so far tonight after a couple of lacklustre performances.