Lionel Messi the best in TWO positions and other things learned from Barcelona's win over Athletic Bilbao

Andy West 01:31 29/10/2017
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  • Barcelona’s relentless winning run continued as coach Ernesto Valverde enjoyed a successful return to Athletic Bilbao, goals from Lionel Messi and Paulinho securing a 2-0 victory at San Mames on Saturday.

    Here’s what we learned from the encounter.

    Messi the world’s best…in two positions

    Is it possible for a player to be the best in the world in two separate positions at the same time? However strange a suggestion that might seem, when you’re talking about Lionel Messi then yes, anything is possible.

    On Saturday night the Argentine maestro again showed that there is no better playmaker in the game, and no better goalscorer either.

    He even manages to regularly fill both those roles in the same phase of possession, illustrated by the opening goal when he started a move in midfield, caressed a perfect pass into the overlapping run of Jordi Alba and then arrived in the penalty area to meet Alba’s cross with a crisp finish.

    Messi had done more or less the same earlier in the game, instigating a rapid-fire passing move which sliced open Athletic’s defence to create a chance which he uncharacteristically failed to convert from close range, hitting the post after rounding home keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

    Quite simply, Barca are blessed to possess both the best ‘number ten’ in the world and the best ‘number nine’ in the world. And the fact that they are the same player makes it even better.

    Lionel Messi

    Lionel Messi

    Paulinho earning his Spurs

    A couple of years ago, if you’d asked Tottenham fans which of their players would go on to become a fundamental player for Barcelona, it’s unlikely many of them would have said Paulinho.

    The Brazilian midfielder was nothing short of a disaster in the Premier League, even being voted the worst player in the club’s history by disgruntled Tottenham fans after his short-lived stint ended when he was sold to Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande.

    But Paulinho, whose move to Barca this summer raised more than a few eyebrows, has been excellent for the Blaugrana. His physical prowess has added a dynamism to the midfield which was badly lacking, while the ease with which he has developed an attacking chemistry with Lionel Messi has been particularly impressive.

    And those qualities were on display again at San Mames, where he worked hard in defence to help Sergio Busquets control the centre of the field, and was always a threat going forward.

    Paulinho hit the bar in the first half before his latest strong showing concluded with him scoring the second goal to wrap up the points in stoppage time, helping to convince any remaining doubters that he has a lot to offer to this team.

    Paulinho

    Paulinho

    Umtiti and Ter Stegen take some beating

    Aside from the goal of Messi (15 in 13 games), the most impressive aspect of Barcelona’s season has been their close-to-impregnable defending at the other end of the field: since the two-legged Spanish Super Cup defeat in August, Barca have played 13 games and conceded just four goals, keeping a remarkable nine clean sheets along the way.

    The whole team – and manager Ernesto Valverde – deserve credit for those outstanding statistics, but two players in particular have made Barca so hard to score against this season and they were both superb, again, on Saturday night: Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Samuel Umtiti.

    French international Umtiti was simply immaculate. Up against the challenge of wily and aggressive old pros Aritz Aduriz and Raul Garcia, he didn’t merely just stand his ground – he made it look easy. Timing his challenges to perfection, using his strength to hold off the opposition, retaining possession with precise passing…Umtiti can do it all, and he will be a key player for Barca for years to come.

    So will German keeper Ter Stegen, who made a string of excellent saves, most of them from Aduriz, to secure his latest clean sheet. Two stops in particular showed off Ter Stegen’s outstanding reflexes, while his handling of the ball from crosses was as safe as houses.

    Marc-Andre ter Stegen

    Marc-Andre ter Stegen

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