Messi brilliance wins Copa del Rey

Andy West 03:02 31/05/2015
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  • Barca crowned 2015 Copa del Rey champions.

    Lionel Messi produced one of the greatest goals of his staggering career to set up Barcelona’s convincing victory over Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday night.

    Messi broke the deadlock with a sensational solo effort after 20 minutes, beating four defenders with a mazy dribble before firing home, and Neymar added a beautifully worked second before Messi made it three with a close-range finish.

    Inaki Williams struck a late consolation but Barca were entirely worthy winners after a highly effective and at times breath-taking performance which completes the domestic double for Luis Enrique’s team.

    The opening 10 minutes were evenly contested but Barca gradually established supremacy and they were only denied by a wrongly raised offside flag when a brilliant pass from Messi was volleyed home by Neymar.

    Another chance came when Ivan Rakitic surged forward to find Luis Suarez, whose low angled strike was well saved by Iago Herrerin. Then, with Barca continuing to exert control, came the sensational opener.

    There appeared to be little danger when Messi received the ball on the right wing, with plenty of red and white shirts between him and the goal. But in a flash, the Argentine genius produced lightning footwork to dance his way past three defenders and race towards the penalty area, where he easily sidestepped a fourth Athletic player before applying the brutal finishing touch of a fierce left-footed drive just inside the near post.

    It was a special moment and seemed to have the effect of demoralising Athletic, who found themselves swept aside by a rampaging Barca outfit.

    A second goal was almost constantly threatened, Suarez having a dangerous cross clawed away, Gerard Pique seeing a volley from a free-kick well saved and Neymar flashing a shot into the side-netting.

    Inevitably, the advantage was soon doubled and it was another special goal as a passing move of breathtaking speed saw Rakitic exchange passes with Messi before finding Suarez, whose unselfish squared cross gave the unmarked Neymar a simple finish.

    Williams clipped the top of the crossbar with a volley on a rare Athletic attack, but that was an isolated threat and Herrerin had to make another excellent stop before halftime to tip over a fiercely curled 25-yard free-kick from Messi.

    The second half was a more contained affair, with Barca playing within themselves to avoid taking risks but still retaining control. There were few chances, other than Suarez having a shot deflected over the top after a typically lungbusting burst from Dani Alves, but the outcome never looked in doubt as Athletic struggled to get close to Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s goal.

    And Barca’s superiority was amply demonstrated by the third goal, when a long and precise passing move resulted in Alves surging down the right and cutting back a low cross for Messi to sneak in front of the dozing Athletic defence and stab home.

    With 10 minutes remaining the Basque club gave themselves a slender lifeline when substitute Ibai Gomez crossed well for Williams to glance a header inside the far corner, and Ibai soon had a couple of half-chances to set up a grandstand finish.

    But Barca averted that scare and after a scrappy final few minutes, sparked by some showboating from Neymar, the Catalan team could celebrate a fully deserved triumph.

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