#2 Barcelona vs Athletic Club, La Liga 2012
At the old San Mames in 2012, the Athletic Club crowd were treated to a mesmerising goal from a player who didn’t enter the fray until the 66th minute of the match, with Barca behind at that point. Cometh the hour, cometh Messi. And how!
Receiving the ball some 30 yards from goal, and centrally, Mikel San Jose was the first to be outfoxed by the snake hips of the diminutive attacker.
Messi was shepherded to San Jose’s left side and straight into the path of an oncoming defender. Stopping dead, Messi then evaded his tackle and went right, but straight back into the path of San Jose, who had regained his position.
A third covering Athletic Club player stepped in front of San Jose but quick as a flash Messi turned both of them the wrong way and was into the danger area.
As more home players closed in – there were five within close proximity – Messi placed his shot past Gorka Iraizoz to level the scores. Genius.
