El Clasico: Messi Scores Twice as Barca Sinks Real Madrid ... Lionel Messi weaved his magic once again as his 500th Barcelona goal – the last kick of the El Clasico game – blew the La Liga title race wide open in a thrilling 3-2 win over Real Madrid on Sunday night.
Written off before the game following his three-year El Classico goal drought and battling the stinging narrative that he’s in decline, Messi showed his eternal genius, and resilience by single-handedly lifting Barca from the deal with the last kick of a breathless game.
Fresh from their Champions League quarterfinal victory over Bayern Munich, Madrid came off the blocks firing, and star man Cristiano Ronaldo had a penalty appeal waived away inside two minutes while Barca slowly got into the game with Luis Suarez dragging a Jordi Alba cut-back wide.
Messi was bloodied by a stray elbow from Marcelo and Ronaldo had an angled shot saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen before Madrid broke the deadlock to the delight of the packed Santiago Bernabeu that had in attendance Spanish Masters winner, Sergio Garcia.
Marcelo collected a loose ball from a corner and after Sergio Ramos volleyed his cross against the near post, Casemiro bundled in the rebound.
Messi, with a handkerchief still mopping the blood from his lips, fired back for the Catalans by dancing past Dani Carvajal and Nacho to fire home his first goal against Madrid in three years.
Ter Stegen pulled off a number of saves to keep the scores level in the second half and Ronaldo missed a sitter after being set up by substitute Marco Asensio before Barca shot into the lead 17 minutes from time.
Ivan Rakitic picked up the ball after Messi’s foray was thwarted, and unleashed a screamer from 25 yards that beat Keylor Navas into the top corner.
Barca got an advantage four minutes later when Ramos was shown red for lounging into Messi with a two-footed challenge, but Madrid dramatically drew level in the 86th minute after substitute James Rodriguez guided in Marcelo’s cross at the near post.
There was still time, however, for one last sting in the tail as Messi timed his run into the area to smash in Jordi Alba’s low cross after a blistering run from Sergi Roberto.
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