2) Messi has put all his travails behind him
It had been a dreadful last two months or so for Lionel Messi. Not only was the Barcelona ace denied an international title for the third year in a row when Argentina lost out to Chile on penalties, but the heartbreak provoked him into an international retirement, sending shockwaves across the globe. And to pile the misery further, the 29-year-old was then slapped with a suspended jail term for his tax evasion scandal, besmirching his image.
Despite all the havoc, Messi continued to weave his magic on the field as the Barca no.10 put on another spellbinding show to steer the Spanish champions to a resounding victory.
The skipper set up Munir for the opener with a superb pass, before laying off with a similarly precise long-range for Suarez. Messi then triggered from the deep as he embarked on a run that culminated in Barca’s third goal, rounding off a prolific first-half. Although his influence waned in the closing half of the game, it was still a highly commendable performance by the Ballon d’Or holder, indicating all the recent travails are well and truly behind him.
