Football: Messi and Trincao give Barca comeback victory over Betis

SEVILLE, Spain - Lionel Messi came off the bench to haul Barcelona back from a goal down against Real Betis to win 3-2 but it was winger Francisco Trincao who snatched victory by choosing the perfect moment to score his first goal for the club.

Barca coach Ronald Koeman took the surprising decision to leave Messi and the in-form Frenkie de Jong out of his starting lineup, perhaps with next week's Copa del Rey semi-final first leg at Sevilla in mind, and saw his side fall behind to a Borja Iglesias strike on the counterattack in the 38th minute.

Messi levelled for Barca in the 59th, less than two minutes after coming on, and then helped his side find a second goal by releasing Jordi Alba with a sumptuous pass which led to Betis defender Victor Ruiz sending the ball into his own net.

Ruiz made amends by powering in a header from a Nabil Fekir free kick in the 75th minute but Portuguese Trincao had the final say, smashing a shot from just inside the box in off the crossbar in the 87th to finally get off the mark for Barca in his 17th appearance in all competitions.

"I didn't need to score for my own good but you have to help out when you can and I'm very happy that we managed to get the win," Trincao told reporters.

"My team mates have always encouraged me and they all congratulated me on the goal."

Barca, who have won their last six league games, are second in the standings on 43 points, seven behind leaders Atletico Madrid who have two games in hand.

The Catalans also pulled off an impressive comeback win against Granada in a Copa del Rey quarter-final tie on Wednesday, clawing their way back from two goals down to win 5-3 in extra-time.

Barca defender Ronald Araujo was forced off in the 12th minute with an ankle problem and Koeman took another unorthodox move by sending on De Jong, who has recently reinvented himself as an attacking midfielder, to deputize at centreback.

The Catalans produced another chaotic display in defense but compensated thanks to their star-studded attack, particularly after Messi and Trincao came on in a double change from Koeman.

"We changed our attitude in the second half and that was the most important factor in getting the victory," added Trincao.

"In the first half we were a little fearful and we didn't take many risks." 

(Reporting by Richard Martin Editing by Toby Davis and Pritha Sarkar)

-reuters-

Football: Barca beat Betis to keep pace with Real Madrid

MADRID, Spain -- Lionel Messi gave a hat-trick of assists on Sunday as Barcelona ended their turbulent week with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Real Betis to stay in touch with Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.

Madrid's 4-1 win at Osasuna earlier in the day put pressure on Barca to respond, only for Betis to twice lead at the Benito Villamarin through a penalty from Sergio Canales and brilliant solo effort from Nabil Fekir.

Yet both times Barcelona hit back as Frenkie de Jong and Sergio Busquets pulled them level before Clement Lenglet headed in with 18 minutes left, all three goals teed up by Messi.

Fekir and Lenglet were then sent off in a frantic contest by the end of which, Barca had the victory they so desperately needed following a difficult few days for the club.

Messi had put himself at the heart of a political spat this week by publicly taking exception to comments made by sporting director Eric Abidal, who suggested the players were the cause of the decision to sack Ernesto Valverde last month.

Barcelona were then beaten by Athletic Bilbao and knocked out of the Copa del Rey before the semi-finals for the first time in 10 years on Thursday.

"In Bilbao we played well but they knocked us out," said Barca coach Quique Setien. "This win will give us motivation and extra energy for the future."

To make matters worse, winger Ousmane Dembele suffered another hamstring injury, which is likely to keep him out for the rest of the season, while centre-back Samuel Umtiti appeared in court too, for alleged damages to a rented villa.

It meant defeat against Betis was unthinkable, particularly for Setien, who could ill-afford another setback against the team he managed for two years between 2017 and 2019.

Instead, Barca turned the tide, with a chaotic performance that might have been punished by better opponents, but that keeps them three points behind Real Madrid, who had earlier won at a canter in Pamplona.


- Bale returns as Real cruise -

Gareth Bale returned to the starting line-up after four matches out of the squad and a fortuitous deflection meant he assisted Isco's equaliser after Unai Garcia had given Osasuna a surprise lead.

Sergio Ramos then headed Madrid in front before substitutes Lucas Vazquez and Luka Jovic made the scoreline more emphatic.

"I'm pleased with all the players and what they're doing," said Zidane. "It's very good to stay in front."

Barca's exit in the Copa del Rey overshadowed Madrid's own shock defeat at home by Real Sociedad in the quarter-finals, a loss that brought a dramatic end to their 21-match unbeaten run.

But Zidane will be relieved to see his team swiftly back on track with a performance full of the kind of resilience that Real's rivals have so lacked in recent weeks.

Bale also keeps coming back under Zidane and the 30-year-old had chances to add a goal to a spirited display before going off to a decent reception from the away support in the second half.

This was only his third appearance since the turn of the year.

"People want there to be a problem but there isn't one," Zidane said. "He did well, offensively and defensively he gave everything. He was a bit short of fitness at the end, so he came off.

"We know the player he is and that he will give a lot from now until the end of the season. Let's count on Gareth."

Eden Hazard is still yet to return after recovering from a foot fracture. Real play Manchester City in the Champions League in less than two weeks. "It wasn't the time today again and I hope we'll see him next week," said Zidane.

Sevilla lost ground in the race for the top four as they conceded two late goals to lose 2-1 at struggling Celta Vigo.

After one win in five league games, Sevilla drop to fifth, behind Atletico Madrid on goal difference and three points adrift of third-placed Getafe.

Agence France-Presse

Football: Fantastic Messi hat-trick blows away Betis

MADRID -- Even the Real Betis fans were applauding by the end as Lionel Messi scored another spectacular hat-trick to fire Barcelona to a 4-1 victory on Sunday and leave them with one hand on the La Liga trophy.

Messi's treble, his second in a month in Seville, fourth of the season and 51st of his career, moves Barca 10 points clear of Atletico Madrid with 10 games left to play, a gap surely too big to close.

"We had a great opportunity to increase the gap on Atletico," Messi said. "We had to take it tonight."

Luis Suarez, whose superb flick set up Messi's second, scored his own brilliant goal after a scintillating solo run but it was ultimately reduced to a footnote, in what became another night all about his Argentinian partner.

The only blot was the sight of Suarez limping off late on, with what coach Ernesto Valverde suspected was a "bad sprain" to his ankle.

Messi now has 29 league goals this season, 39 in all competitions, and together with Suarez's 18 their joint-total of 47 is more than all but two of the other teams in the division.

A simple finish from Suarez's exquisite assist came between a free-kick perfectly planted into the top corner and a bending lob that grazed the crossbar and dropped in.

The Betis fans left at the Benito Villamarin, and most of them were, felt compelled to stand and applaud.

"I don't remember the opposition cheering me for a goal, I am very grateful," Messi said.

This was supposed to be one of the more awkward tests in Barcelona's run-in, which includes Atletico Madrid at home and fifth-placed Alaves away.

All the rest of their opponents currently sit 10th or lower.

But regardless of the fixtures, Barca seem to be saving their best for the home straight, which bodes badly for Manchester United, whom they face in the Champions League quarter-finals next month.

Already in the final of the Copa del Rey, where Barca will return to this stadium to face Valencia in May, a treble is certainly not beyond the realms of possibility.

- No time to breathe -

There was barely a moment to pause for breath in the first half, both teams throwing players forward without restraint or, seemingly, regard for the spaces they left at the back.

Betis were happy to open up and almost took the lead when Joaquin volleyed first-time to the stretching Sergio Canales, but he was unable to connect.

Barca were perhaps fortunate to earn the free-kick for Messi's opener as Canales obstructed Arthur Melo just outside the area, to the right of centre.

But there was no luck in Messi's shot, which flew like a dart over the ducking head of Gerard Pique, past the hand of Pau Lopez, and into the top left-hand corner.

Betis came again, Arthur twice scrambling the ball away from Canales in the box, before Suarez missed a sitter after being teed up by Messi.

He made amends just before half-time. Messi fired into the feet of the Uruguayan, who took the ball one way and flicked it the other, behind his leg and into the path of Messi, who did the rest.

Betis could have been four down by the hour as Suarez missed two more, but the chances kept coming, and he finally hit the mark.

There were four defenders ahead when he began his run from the halfway line but Suarez sped past one and between two more, each of them colliding into the other before being left sprawled on the ground.

Aissa Mandi made one final lunge but Suarez skipped through to finish.

Loren Moron curled in a consolation for Betis but Messi had the final say. Ivan Rakitic rolled the ball back and he clipped a sumptuous chip over Lopez, off the crossbar and in.

Suarez limped off injured in the final minutes and Messi could have added a fifth, only for the post to rescue Betis. Four was enough.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

LA LIGA: Messi scores on return, Atletico, Real stay on top

MADRID, Spain -- Lionel Messi took just three minutes to score on his return from injury as Barcelona thrashed Deportivo la Coruna 4-0 on Saturday, but Barca remain two points adrift of free-scoring Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.

Yannick Carrasco's hat-trick and Nicolas Gaitan's first two goals for Atletico inspired a storming fightback by Diego Simeone's men to flatten Granada 7-1 after falling behind early on.

Real kept pace with their city rivals with four first-half goals of their own in a 6-1 win at Real Betis to snap a streak of four straight draws.

Barca were already 3-0 up thanks to Luis Suarez and a double from Rafinha when Messi was introduced after nearly a month out with a groin problem and wasted no time in scoring his ninth goal of the season.

"It was a complete performance," said Barca boss Luis Enrique.

"We have Leo back and it took him no time to be back in top form."

Messi wasn't needed to be the match winner as Barca had the three points sewn up before the break.

Rafinha exchanged a one-two with Suarez before drilling a low shot that had too much power for German Lux and then bundled home a second 15 minutes later after Lux had saved Gerard Pique's initial effort.

Suarez moved level with Antoine Griezmann as La Liga's top scorer with six this season when he brilliantly turned away from the Deportivo defence when receiving Neymar's through ball before slotting home the third.

Messi was introduced from the bench just before the hour mark and took just three touches to find the net when he flicked another Neymar assist over the helpless Lux.

Deportivo's day was rounded off by a red card for Laure 25 minutes from time when for elbowing Neymar in the face.

- Real roll -

Real had dropped down to fourth due to results earlier in the day, but roared back to a share of the lead and put a poor run behind them with their best display of the season to blow Betis away.

Raphael Varane headed home Toni Kroos's free-kick before the German also teed up Karim Benzema to double the visitors' advantage.

Marcelo's mishit effort found the far corner for Real's third, but there was no such luck needed for a stunning fourth as Madrid marched from one end of the field to the other in seconds before Isco rounded off a stunning team move.

Betis improved at the start of the second period and got their reward through Alvaro Cejudo's consolation.

However, Madrid's quality shone through once more when Isco curled expertly into the top corner before Cristiano Ronaldo got his name on the scoresheet 12 minutes from time.

Real still trail Atletico on goal difference as Los Rojiblancos went one better in smashing seven past Granada.

"The response from the team was tremendous," Atletico boss Simeone told BeIN Sports Spain.

The Vicente Calderon was briefly stunned by Isaac Cuenca's sensational volley from outside the area to open the scoring.

Carrasco turned the game around before half-time thanks in part to some poor goalkeeping from Guillermo Ochoa.

However, the Mexican was faultless as Carrasco completed his hat-trick with a thumping finish from Griezmann's fine cut-back on the hour mark.

"I'm very happy to score three goals, it is the first hat-trick of my career," added Carrasco.

"I already have many happy memories here at Atletico and hopefully I have many more to come."

Gaitan had only been on the pitch a minute before he added a fourth and then fired in his second nine minutes from time at Ochoa's near post.

And Carrasco teed up two more for Angel Correa and Tiago in the final five minutes as Atletico made light of a dependence on Griezmann for goals so far this season.

Sevilla are just a point behind in third after ending a 17-month wait for an away league win in a 3-2 triumph at Leganes.

Franco Vazquez and Samir Nasri put Jorge Sampaoli's men well on course to end that barren run before David Timor and Alexander Szymanowski brought Leganes level.

However, Pablo Sarabia proved the match winner off the bench when he curled a stunning winner into the top corner five minutes from time.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Suarez treble and Messi double lift six-goal Barca

BARCELONA - Luis Suarez grabbed a hat-trick and Lionel Messi bagged two goals as Barcelona began their quest for a third straight La Liga title with a 6-2 rout of Real Betis on Saturday.

Arda Turan, whose two goals against Sevilla helped Barca lift the Spanish Super Cup on Wednesday, gave them an early lead at the Nou Camp before Ruben Castro equalised in the 21st minute.

Barca went back in front thanks to a trademark 37th-minute goal from Messi before Suarez La Liga's top scorer last season, made it 3-1 before halftime.

Messi set up Suarez for the Uruguayan's second in the 56th minute before the Argentine netted again a minute later with a left-foot drive from outside the area.

Suarez then completed his treble with a 25-metre free kick in the 82nd minute.

Betis scored again six minutes from time after Castro struck a right-foot shot beyond goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.

Barca were without several injured players including captain Andres Iniesta and forward Neymar, who is playing for Brazil at the Rio Olympics.

Chile captain Bravo, linked with a move to Manchester City by media reports, started in goal with Marc-Andre ter Stegen out injured.

Barca coach Luis Enrique handed new signings Samuel Umtiti and Lucas Digne their league debuts.

The hosts went in front when Messi's diagonal pass found Jordi Alba and he cut a pass back to Turan who beat Betis keeper Antonio Adan from six metres.

Betis equalised when Bravo got a touch to Castro's powerful free kick but could not prevent the ball going in.

Messi then hit the bar before making amends minutes later when he pounced on Denis Suarez's pass before shooting with venom into the bottom corner of the net.

He carved the Betis defence wide open in the 42nd minute with a pass to Sergio Roberto and he set up Luis Suarez who finished clinically.

Betis, under new coach Gus Poyet, struggled to keep up with Barca in the second half.

Messi and Suarez combined before the Uruguayan beat Adan with an easy tap-in.

The dynamic Messi then found the corner of the net again before Suarez added Barca's sixth goal.

Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid get their campaign underway on Sunday when they visit Real Sociedad.

(Reporting by Adriana Garcia; Editing by Tony Jimenez)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

LA LIGA: Title rivals Barca, Atletico and Real all win

BARCELONA - La Liga leaders Barcelona moved closer to retaining their crown with a lacklustre 2-0 away win over 10-man Real Betis thanks to goals from Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez on Saturday.

Atletico Madrid kept pace as substitute Antoine Griezmann fired them to a 1-0 home win over struggling Rayo Vallecano, while Real Madrid's Gareth Bale scored in a 1-0 victory at Real Sociedad that leaves them still a point behind.

Barcelona remain at the summit on 85 points, level with Atletico but having a superior head-to-head record, while Real are third with 84 points and two games of the season left.

Betis had centre-back Heiko Westermann sent off in the 35th minute for a second booking and Ivan Rakitic pounced on a defensive mishap to put Barca five minutes after the break.

Luis Suarez then scored his 35th goal of the La Liga season to finish Betis off in the 81st, meaning Barca can guarantee a 24th league title with wins at home to Espanyol and away to Granada.

Barcelona struggled to break down Betis even after Westermann was dismissed but a misunderstanding between defender German Pezzella and goalkeeper Antonio Adan allowed Rakitic to tap in from close range and break the deadlock.

Suarez then made up for missing a clear chance earlier in the second half by finishing off Lionel Messi's low pass from inside the area.

Barca manager Luis Enrique reacted angrily to suggestions his team had underperformed against Betis.

"What's the problem, if you don't win 8-0 does it not count?" he told a news conference."

"This is a very competitive league with three teams fighting for the title. Looking at the results I don't think any of the three teams are going to slip up and it's in our own hands."

BALE DELIVERS

Bale, who scored twice as Madrid came from two goals down to win 3-2 at Rayo Vallecano last weekend, again delivered when it mattered, nodding in Lucas Vazquez's cross in the 80th minute.

It was the Welshman's ninth headed goal in the league this season, more than any other player in Europe's top five leagues, and earned Madrid the points despite a frustrating afternoon against the side who beat Barcelona earlier this month.

With Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema injured, it was again up to Bale to lead the line, with coach Zinedine Zidane making five changes after the 0-0 at Manchester City in the Champions League semi-final in midweek.

Bale missed several chances before finally breaking the deadlock with 10 minutes remaining, leaping at the near post to glance Vazquez's cross into the top corner for his 19th goal of the league campaign.

With top scorers Ronaldo and Benzema facing a race against time to be fit for Wednesday's second leg against City, Zidane was pleased Bale delivered again.

"It was great to see a player of his importance score a goal ahead of Wednesday," Zidane told a news conference.

"We had to suffer and that's what the players did. We were up against a difficult opponent but I'm happy with the work we did and to pick up the points."

SEVEN CHANGES

Atletico coach Diego Simeone made seven changes to the team that beat Bayern Munich 1-0 on Wednesday to edge closer to the Champions League final, with only keeper Jan Oblak, Jose Gimenez, Gabi and Juanfran keeping their places.

Simeone was serving the first of a three-game touchline ban and watched his side struggle to break down Rayo.

The hosts created only one clear chance before the break, a low shot from Angel Correa that was superbly tipped away by Rayo goalkeeper Juan Carlos.

Atletico's top scorer Griezmann was brought on along with Fernando Torres in the 54th minute and needed less than 60 seconds to have an impact.

The France striker pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the area and, with his next touch, smashed it high into the net past Juan Carlos, his first goal in five games in all competitions.

Torres squandered a chance to seal the win and Rayo nearly punished Atletico, who were relieved to see striker Javi Guerra head over the bar after appearing unmarked in the box.

(Writing by Richard Martin, editing by Ken Ferris and Ian Chadband)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com