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Barcelona kept their La Liga title hopes alive with a comfortable 2-0 victory against Osasuna at the El Sadar Stadium. Lionel Messi didn't get his name on the scoresheet, but the Barcelona captain continued his rich vein of part by bagging two assists on the night.
Spanish international Jordi Alba has also improved in recent weeks and the former Valencia man broke the deadlock with a well-taken goal in the first half. Ronald Koeman's side went into the interval with a deserved lead and looked to increase their advantage in the second half.
With Lionel Messi pulling the strings, Barcelona looked dangerous but found it hard to find the second goal to kill off the game. The Catalan giants, however, doubled their advantage through a moment of magic.
Ilaix Moriba, who is hailed as one of the most exciting young players in world football, announced himself to the Barcelona faithful with a fantastic debut goal for the club. The midfielder has drawn comparisons with Paul Pogba for his style of play and showed exactly why he's held in such high regard with a memorable goal late in the game.
Lionel Messi delivers prime playmaking performance for Barcelona
Lionel Messi was once again the provider for the goal, as he made his mark on the game despite failing to put the ball into the back of the net.
Speaking after the game, Ronald Koeman lauded his players for another gritty performance and singled out Moriba for special praise.
"Ilaix scored a goal in a difficult match, with 0-2 we killed off the game. Every time Moriba enters the pitch he brings something extra. He is young, but is physically very strong. He's gaining ground to be with the first team more often."
"We're proud to be able to bring in young homegrown players. But we are not doing it because the fans want it, we're doing it because they deserve it. Players like Pedri, Ilaix, Riqui, Araújo and Mingueza are the future of the club."
On that note, here are the best tweets from another fantastic performance from Barcelona and their ageless skipper Lionel Messi in 2021.
