Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta are rightly considered both two of the best dribblers and two of the best passers in the world. One of the main reasons this is so delightful is they are on the same team, and get to flash their brilliance in tandem. That's what they did against a packed-in Valencia defense Sunday.
Barcelona and Valencia drew 1-1 Sunday, moving Real Madrid two points closer (although still very far away) to their rivals at the top of the table in La Liga. That result, though, was tainted by what should have been the opener via Lionel Messi and poor goalkeeping from Valencia's Neto being declared not a goal by the referee.
Take a look for yourself:
Every week The18's Giselle Cesín covers a topic about La Liga. This week we’re going over the 10 players who have disappointed the most tso far. Not the worst players. The most disappointing players. There is a difference. Please don't yell at us in the comments.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
The misfiring Ronaldo is converting fewer chances than any goalscorer in Europe. But he just became a father again, so maybe that will give him a boost?
Valencia and Barcelona are set to battle it out this evening in a top-of-the-table clash. Valencia fans are certainly acting accordingly.
Lionel Messi has extended his Barcelona contract through the 2020-21 season, putting an end to growing speculation that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was looking to negotiate with other clubs come January. Messi has now committed himself to the Camp Nou until the age of 34.
According to a statement from the club, the buyout clause is set at €700 million ($835m). By the conclusion of the 2020-21 season, Messi will have spent 17 years with the first team.
Barcelona’s assured display in a 0-0 draw with Juventus on Wednesday guaranteed the Blaugrana top spot in Champions League Group D, and with Lionel Messi spending the better part of the opening hour on the bench in Turin, the usual Barca suspects came to the fore to help their side navigate this tricky tie.
Lionel Messi and company look to be running away with La Liga. Heading into the Barcelona vs Valencia match on Sunday at the Mestalla, the Catalan club is unbeaten with 11 wins and one draw. Barcelona is sitting on 34 points, 10 ahead of both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, the only other two clubs to have won La Liga in the past dozen years.
Barcelona-Juventus ended 0-0 and Messi only made a substitute appearance, but there was plenty of incredible soccer to go around. For example, in the first half Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets found himself being pressed by Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic. Did Busquets safely pass the ball back to a center half or his goalkeeper? No. Did he panic and hoof the pall up the pitch in the general direction of Luis Suarez? No.
Instead, Busquets calmly (and slowly) gave Pjanic the ol' Zidane roulette before (still slowly) skipping away and finding Ivan Rakitic.