Barcelona: Barcelona scored its 6,000th goal in the Spanish league after another ingenious strike by Lionel Messi got its title defense off to a winning start in front of their home crowd at the Camp Nou here against Alaves, Saturday.
Messi cleverly sent his free-kick underneath Alaves’ wall to open the scoring in the 64th minute of Barcelona’s 3-0 victory. He also closed the scoring in injury time after substitute Philippe Coutinho had added to the lead in the 83rd minute.
Messi’s low free-kick fooled Alaves players, who jumped to intercept an expected high shot. Goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco couldn’t get to the ball in time after it suddenly appeared underneath the barrier.
Messi, the league’s top scorer last season, had struck the crossbar with a free-kick, this time over the wall, in the first half. He also hit the post from inside the area a few minutes after his opening goal. Messi also scored Barcelona’s 5,000th league goal back in 2009.
Messi’s second goal came in the second minute of injury time, an easy shot from close range after a breakaway. It was after substitute Coutinho’s nice play that culminated with an easy strike from inside the area for Barca’s second goal.