Barcelona 2-1 Athletic Bilbao: 5 talking points as Blaugrana pick up 3 crucial points at home | La Liga 2020-21

Goals in each half from Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann helped Barcelona to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao at Camp Nou on Sunday.

Ronald Koeman made two changes from the side that saw off Elche last time out, with Lionel Messi coming in for Martin Braithwaite - having served his suspension.

Sergio Busquets also missed out through suspension for accumulated bookings and was replaced by Miralem Pjanic.

The hosts started the game on the front foot and fashioned the first chance as early as the 5th minute when Messi raced through on goal. However, Unai Simon was quick off his line to thwart the Barcelona skipper.

The 33-year-old was, however, not to be denied 15 minutes later, as he dusted himself off the floor to convert a free-kick he had won from 25 yards.

Messi's technique was on full display, setting aside off-field controversies to put Barcelona ahead.

Athletic Bilbao rarely threatened for the rest of the first half to ensure the hosts went into the break with a slender advantage.

The visitors, however, started the second half brightly and got a leveler when Jordi Alba turned into his net from a Raul Garcia cross.

The Barcelona full-back had been under pressure from Oscar de Marcos, and there were heavy protests from the home side that it was a foul. However, referee Manuel Lahoz was having none of it and gave Frenkie de Jong a yellow card for his efforts.

After reviewing the situation, VAR sided with the referee and decided there was nothing wrong with the 47th-minute equaliser.

From then on, an open-ended game saw both sides fashion reasonable chances, although the two goalkeepers were up to the task.

A sleek team move in the 74th minute allowed Ousmane Dembele to play Oscar Mingueza into space on the right flank. The 21-year-old subsequently sent a cut-back into the box that Antoine Griezmann tapped in.

With Bilbao pushing for an equaliser, Barcelona had a chance to break on the counter in injury time.

However, Messi found himself caught between two minds in a three-on-one situation, and the chance went begging.

The miss did not prove costly, with the Blaugrana moving up into second place with the win.

Here are five talking points from the highly entertaining game.

#5 Barcelona enact revenge for Supercopa final loss

Athletic Bilbao had defeated Barcelona to win the Super Cup

Athletic Bilbao saw off Barcelona in the final of the Spanish Super Cup. The Blaugrana had been cruising to victory until a late equaliser by Asier Villalibre forced an extra half-hour.

Inaki Williams scored just three minutes into extra-time to power the Basque outfit to glory. To make matters worse, Lionel Messi received the first red card of his Blaugrana career for a cynical challenge.

This would have given the visitors added confidence that they could get the job done once again.

However, a professional display ensured that the Catalans picked up all three points and enacted a measure of revenge for the final defeat two weeks ago.

#4 Excellent team work on display in the build-up to second goal

Ousmane Dembele kickstarted the well-worked team goal

When Ousmane Dembele won a free-kick 35 yards from goal in the 73rd minute, there was seemingly no threat to the Athletic Bilbao defence.

The France international played a lofted pass to Griezmann, who headed down to Jordi Alba. The left-back took one touch to control and then passed to Pedri who made a one-touch pass back to Dembele.

The former Dortmund man controlled, before threading a perfectly weighted ball to Mingueza down the flank. The right-back played a one-time low cross into the box that was finished by Griezmann.

The entire sequence took less than 15 seconds. However, it was a thing of beauty and was reminiscent of the glory days of the club.

It prompted a full-scale celebration from all Barcelona players, including those warming up on the touchline.

The Catalans have been accused of losing their flair in recent years and lacking the verve associated with previous teams.

However, this goal showed that Barcelona are still perfectly capable of turning up the style when they want to.

#3 Antoine Griezmann caps off fine display with match-winning goal

Antoine Griezmann scored the winner

After a lukewarm start to the season, Antoine Griezmann has been in fine form for Barcelona in recent weeks.

The France international came into this game having scored five goals and provided four assists in his last eight games in all competitions.

Two of his goals came in the Spanish Super Cup final, and he once again put out a good display against Los Leones.

The 29-year-old showed great awareness to position himself for the winning goal, while he also played a key role in the wonderful build-up.

Beyond his match-winning strike, Griezmann gave an all-round display worthy of his abilities.

He registered three shots in the game, with two of those hitting the target, while he also made two key passes and one interception.

The jury is still out on Griezmann's Barcelona career to this point. However, the former Atletico Madrid man still has time to come good at Camp Nou. On evidence of his performance here, he might have started turning a positive corner.

#2 Barcelona pick up crucial three points to move ahead of Real Madrid

Barcelona are second on the La Liga table

It might have seemed unlikely when Barcelona were floundering in mid-table a few weeks ago, but a recent run of positive results has seen the Blaugrana surge up the La Liga standings.

Real Madrid's shock 2-1 loss at home to Levante at Saturday offered Barcelona the chance to go clear of their arch-rivals, and they did not pass up the opportunity.

Despite facing a resilient Athletic Bilbao, who proved more than an able match, the Catalans got the job done to ensure they picked up all three points.

At this stage, that is all that matters, and Ronald Koeman would be happy with the application of his wards in what was a tricky fixture.

A title charge might seem infeasible, considering Atletico Madrid's imperious form. However, Barcelona would be hoping to keep their momentum going to take advantage of an unlikely slip-up by Diego Simeone's side.

#1 Lionel Messi puts off-field issues to score an inch-perfect freekick

Lionel Messi scored his 650th goal for Barcelona

The build-up to this game was overshadowed by El Mundo's scandalous report of Lionel Messi's true salary.

The details had earlier been revealed by German media house Der Spiegel in 2018, but this latest reaffirmation caused further acrimony at a club currently dealing with several issues.

Barcelona have since absolved themselves of any blame and insisted that they would be seeking a court redress against the media house.

It was on the backdrop of this hullaballoo that Lionel Messi returned to the Blaugrana starting line-up after two weeks out.

Despite the controversy surrounding his future and contract, the Rosario native put that behind him to produce another memorable display for his side.

He showed his ambition as early as the sixth minute when he forced Unai Simon into a smart save and sent a chested shot narrowly over the bar soon after.

The Barcelona captain soon got a deserved goal when he converted from a 25-yard freekick.

Opposition teams have deployed several tactics to stop Messi's deadly set-pieces, and Sunday night was no different.

In addition to the wall, a player lay down on the ground, while Oscar di Marcos raced to the goal line to add extra protection.

All this proved to be in vain, however, as an inch-perfect free-kick went over the wall, beyond the despairing jump of Di Marcos and into the top corner.

The casual nature in which Messi lofted the ball over the wall belied his otherworldly technique and left Simon stranded in the Bilbao goal.

The strike was his 650th in all competitions for Barcelona, further highlighting the fear of an apocalyptic future post-Messi.

In total, Messi had four shots (two on target), made four key passes and completed an incredible 11 dribbles - more than the total posted by everyone else on the field combined.