'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Goals: Lionel Messi 27’, 32’, and 87’; Nabil El Zhar 68’
The Catalan giants are cruising. The win over Leganes gave them a 12-point lead over Atletico Madrid at the top of the La Liga table.
After beating Roma 4-1 in the UEFA Champions League semifinals first-leg, Barcelona returned to the La Liga action on Saturday against Leganes.
Ernesto Valverde made four changes to the side that beat AS Roma in the midweek. He rested Andres Iniesta, Samuel Umtiti, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba while Lionel Messi started upfront. Leganes made a couple of changes to the side that lost to Valencia at home.
Messi was the hero once again as he struck a brilliant hat-trick to maintain Barcelona's unbeaten La Liga run.
Without much ado, let’s take a look at the key talking points from the game.
#5 Barcelona equalled Real Sociedad’s 38-year-old record
Ernesto Valverde's side is making and breaking records this campaign.
Real Sociedad holds the record for most number of La Liga games without a defeat. They set the record in 1980 when they went unbeaten in 38 La Liga games.
Ernesto Valverde's side has matched that record on Saturday, after a win against the Leganes side.
A win against Valencia next week will see them clear of Real Sociedad and set a new La Liga record.
Also, they are only seven games away from becoming the first side in La Liga history to go through a season without a single defeat. Barcelona's season is getting better and better.
#4 Leganes showed fight in the second half
It was all Barcelona in the first half. Leganes barely caused any problems for the Barcelona defense as the Catalan giants dominated possession in and around the Leganes penalty area.
Asier Garitano made a substitution during the break as he brought in Beauvue to replace Amrabat.
Beauvue missed an opportunity to make it 2-1 in the 49th minute, as he sends the header a yard or so over the crossbar.
They wasted another opportunity in the 66th minute, before making it 2-1 in the 68th.
Beauvue was electric throughout the second half but Leganes' lack of quality in the final third did not help on the night.
They did not let Barcelona run away with the game but was not good enough to cause an upset.
#3 Luis Suarez was uncharacteristically poor in front of goal
Luis Suarez was brilliant for Barcelona in the recent weeks. Messi and Suarez have formed a lethal combination up front, after the departure of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain.
Suarez had an off day in Barcelona colors against Leganes. He must have must have left his shooting boots at home as the Uruguayan striker missed two clear-cut chances, one in each half.
He hit it just wide in the 19th minute and missed another golden opportunity from close-range in the 20th minute. He also missed a chance to score in the 82nd minute. Though his work rate and commitment were exceptional, he did not take his chances in front of goal.
#2 Messi show all the way
Messi produced a Man of the Match performance once again for Barcelona this season. The Argentine was the best player on the pitch from both sides by a huge distance.
He was sensational on the night and single-handedly took the game away from Leganes.
Messi has mastered the art of taking free kicks. He scored a brilliant free kick in the 27th minute to give Barcelona the lead. This was the fourth goal he scored from a free kick in 2018.
He scored again five minutes later after collecting a beautiful pass from Phillipe Coutinho. Messi completed his hat-trick in the 87th minute as the Argentine collected a pass from Ousmane Dembele before putting it in the back of the net from close range.
#1 El Zhar produced a good second half performance; Coutinho lively
Deployed on the right, El Zahar produced a brilliant performance against Barcelona. Though he had a quiet first half, he was lively in the second half.
He had a half-chance in the 66th minute and then took his opportunity in the 68th minute.
He found some space on the edge of the Barcelona box before finding the bottom corner with a wonderful low strike to make it 2-1.
Phillipe Coutinho deserves a mention here after a good outing against Leganes. He was comfortable on the ball and assisted Messi for his second goal with a sublime pass. He has definitely found his feet at Barcelona after making his move in January.
