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#4 Messi's quiet night
It's not often one gets to write about Lionel Messi having a quiet night, but that is precisely what happened tonight, with much of the credit going to Pablo Maffeo, who shadowed the brilliant Argentinian with a fervour that was downright primal. So much so, that Messi did not have a single statistical 'action' in the final third in the first half.
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By the time the game had ended, Messi ended the game without contributing to a goal or assist for the first time this season, but yet managed to delight the crowd at the Estadi Montilivi with a couple of delightful passes and touches. If that's not the mark of a legend, what is?
Still, it must be a relief for Barcelona fans that their side can win without him, as allegations of 'Messidependencia' were sure to resurface given the Argentine's stellar start to the season. Sporting await in the UEFA Champions League, and Messi will surely be back to his best by then.
