LaLiga

Result: FC Barcelona 5-1 Deportivo Alaves

Date: 13 February 2021

Venue: Camp Nou

Lionel Messi and FC Barcelona were in a rampant mood on Saturday night, as they thrashed Deportivo Alaves 5-1 at the Camp Nou.

Barca manager Ronald Koeman made five changes from the win over Real Betis, as Messi returned alongside Frenkie de Jong, Junior Firpo, Trincao and a rare start for Ilaix Moriba.

The Catalan giants were overwhelming Alaves in their own half in the early stages, with the visitors absorbing the pressure and looking for chances on the break.

Barcelona’s pressure finally paid off on the half-hour mark after Moriba pounced on a loose ball inside the box and setup Trincao to hit a low strike into the bottom corner.

Messi thought he had doubled the lead for Blaugrana with ten minutes left of the first stanza after a tapping home a rebound from Antoine Griezmann’s shot that was parried by shot-stopper Fernando Pacheco but the goal was disallowed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for offside in the build-up.

The Argentine finally made it 2-0 for Koeman’s charges on the brink of half–time after cutting inside to his left foot outside the box and smashed a low stunning strike in off the near post.

Alaves were keeping their shape well coming from the break and Luis Rioja pulled a goal back three minutes before the hour-mark after pouncing on a poor back pass by Moriba, raced clear on goal and fired a low strike at the near post, sending goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen the wrong way in a one-on-one situation.

Trincao should have restored a two-goal cushion for Barca in the 62nd minute after beating the offside trap to go clear on the right side of the box but his curling shot towards the far post was tipped away by Pacheco.

The Portuguese youngster eventually made it 3-1 for the hosts and grabbed his brace in the 74th minute with a strike into a gaping net from a rebound after Pacheco made a challenge on Messi, who was through on goal.

Messi completed his brace a minute later with an unbelievable strike from outside the box that swerved into the top corner, leaving Pacheco flat-footed.

Blaugrana were running riot as Firpo rounded off the scoring in the last ten minutes with a tap-in at the back post after a cut-back by Griezmann as the Catalan giants move up to second spot.