Barcelona just about did enough to avoid dropping points at home to Leganes, as Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez scored late on in a 3-1 win.
Match Report
Ernesto Valverde's decision to rest Messi almost backfired after Martin Braithwaite cancelled out a goal from Ousmane Dembele, who was later forced off injured, but the Argentinian came off the bench to inspire Suarez's goal and then rounded out proceedings.
Dembele was almost unplayable right from the start and it came as no surprise to see him find the breakthrough with a tidy finish just after the half-hour mark.
Player Ratings
Match Events
32'GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Leganes (Dembele)
Dembele jinks past two defenders on a counter-attack before laying it to the left for Alba and moving towards the penalty spot. The left-back cuts back a pass towards the edge of the area for Dembele whose first-time shot is placed excellently towards the far post.
57'GOAL! Barcelona 1-1 Leganes (Braithwaite)
En-Nesyri flies down the left-hand flank with the ball, and Alba’s sliding intervention only takes him out of the play while pushing the winger forward. He then cuts it across the box for Braithwaite who taps it home from inside the six-yard box as he leaves both Barcelona centre-backs for dead!
71'GOAL! Barcelona 2-1 Leganes (Suarez)
Messi smashes a shot towards goal and forces a brilliant flying save from Cuellar, but he’s only able to palm it up in the air. The Uruguay international comes steaming through from an onside position and pokes the ball past the goalkeeper and into the goal with a raised boot – but there is some controversy as it looks as though the striker’s boot made contact with the face of the goalkeeper!
90' GOAL! Barcelona 3-1 Leganes (Messi)
It’s a phenomenal one-two pass inside the area with Alba which gets the captain free from his marker, before raising a thunderbolt of a shot into the roof of the net from close range, denying Cuellar any chance to get a palm to it!
Line-ups
Barcelona XI: T. Vermaelen, L. Suárez, Piqué, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Philippe Coutinho, M. ter Stegen, S.Roberto, Arthur, Carles Aleñá, O. Dembélé
Subs: L. Messi, I. Rakitić, Vidal, Jeison Murillo, Jasper Cillessen, Semedo, Malcom
Leganes XI: Siovas, Nyom, Iván Cuéllar, M. Braithwaite, K. Omeruo, Recio, J. Silva, Rodrigo Tarín, Vesga, Y. En-Nesyri, O.Rodríguez
Subs: Zhar, Juanfran, Eraso, Michael Santos, Gumbau, Vasyl Kravets, Andriy Luni
manieminem10
485
Pele who? Messi's 25 minutes was better than Pele's entire career
shray_srivastava
320
I hope Dembele injury is not serious, with him & Messi in the team, you are assured of goals. Get well soon Dembouz.
joohnny10
235
jordi alba is the hero of the match
manieminem10
214
When someone says Ronaldo is better than Messi
Asap24
191
Pele right now after finding out Messi came off the bench to score with his right foot
MrGurung
166
I have seen a player in my life would sacrifice this much a his team and teammates. We know Coutinho is in bad form but Messi step back and gave Coutinho the chance and this is 3 times he comes from bench although having great form and stat in 2019.Valverade must ba a lucky guy 😭Guys messi score right foot goal today tho 😝😝😝😝 bench pele in hospital Guys messi gas better goal ratio than 2012 and he can pass 91 goal tally this season but he still is ok with benchh........... In simple words 🐐 + 👑
MOSahinJalloh
117
the day that Messi leave Barcelona will be like a holiday for all the other Spanish teams cause they can have hope when he's not playing but when they see him warming up to come in they already lost the game
VanishPrasad
83
Carles Aleñá's game by numbers vs. Leganés: 100% take-ons completed 94% pass accuracy 50 passes 5 take-ons 2 chances created 2 fouls won 1 interception Coutinho horror show yet Valverde takes off Aleñá instead who’s had a fantastic game today.
zuhalmopsz
81
Messi scores again. putin :
Sahalmo
55
LMSEN
11
Please watch your language and stop comparing Messi to pele He's only good at one club and achieve at one club Messi is a fantastic player I agree But don't be so excited about it because he's useless in national side
yeah he is useless so he guide his team to world cup final....he was useless because he won golden ball for the best player of world cup...he is useless because he won his country under 20 world cup and Olympic gold medal....and above all he is the most useless because he snubbed to playing for Spain to play for his motherland Argentina.... You are right brother
Parthlm10
10
Pele who? Messi's 25 minutes was better than Pele's entire career
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Messi is way above any other player ever lived. If you compare him with any player,you are already dead minded. His every touch is pure magic and he produces something with his every touch. Every time he creates a keypass or assist out of nothing. He doesn't need 10 skill moves to dribble 1 player. His one body feint takes out whole defence. If you will try stop him from scoring, he will provide assist. Even Kevin de bruyne can't pass like that. Even Lewandowski or Kane can't score like that Even hazard and Robben can't dribble like that. He is one man army. I have no words to describe him.
Agho
8
Pele who? Messi's 25 minutes was better than Pele's entire career
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Please watch your language and stop comparing Messi to pele He's only good at one club and achieve at one club Messi is a fantastic player I agree But don't be so excited about it because he's useless in national side