Messi scores 500th goal, leads Barca fightback

Madrid, November 7 

Lionel Messi, with his 500th Barcelona goal, and Luis Suarez saved the Spanish champions from a second defeat in six days as they came from behind to win 2-1 at Sevilla. Victory yesterday keeps Barca just two points adrift of Real Madrid, who were 3-0 victors over Leganes.

Messi inspired a spirited Barca fightback fresh from a 3-1 defeat at Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday after a first-half dominated by Sevilla.

“There is no one like him and our objective as a team is to look for Leo as much as possible,” Barca boss Luis Enrique said. 

“The capacity Messi has to play in any position and interpret what is happening on the field is laudable.”      

With the cast of the Game of Thrones among those watching on in Seville, the game got off to a frantic start. Sevilla remained on the front foot for most of the first-half and got their reward on 15 minutes when Pablo Sarabia’s pass bamboozled Sergi Roberto and Vitolo charged through to open the scoring.

Barca made Sevilla pay with another brilliant counter-attack to level two minutes before half-time as this time Messi curled Neymar’s pass into the bottom corner.

Messi turned provider for the winner just after the hour mark as he teed up Suarez to drill the ball low past Rico.  — AFP