Messi comes off bench to sink Leganes

Barcelona: Lionel Messi came off the bench to inspire Barcelona to a 3-1 win over a dogged Leganes side, creating one goal and scoring another to keep the Catalans five points clear at the top of La Liga. Messi, left out of the starting line-up for only the second time this season when fit, was called on in the 64th minute with the game poised at 1-1 after Leganes forward Martin Braithwaite had cancelled out Ousmane Dembele’s first-half opener with a 57th-minute strike. The Argentine quickly provided the spark Barca needed by firing a venomous shot from the outside the area which was too powerful for goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar to hold, and Luis Suarez pounced to stab home on the rebound in the 71st minute. — AFP

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