Lionel Messi scored a goal only he could possibly score to put Barcelona 2-0 up against Napoli tonight.
1-0 up through Clement Lenglet's opener, Messi was fed on the right flank and slalomed in between a series of challenges (five in total).
After losing his balance, he managed to jump back up on his feet in rapid time before bending one into the far corner. Absolute peak Messi.
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There was a slice of luck given the ricochets that took place but the six-time Ballon d'Or winner was more than deserving of it thanks to his sheer persistence.
He could have quite easily stayed down and appealed for a penalty but instead the Argentine carried on and tucked away his 634th goal in 731 games for the Blaugrana.
It was yet another wondrous solo strike from Barcelona's talisman, who was denied a second goal moments later after VAR ruled the ball had brushed his arm.
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Messi has now scored 27 goals in the Champions League round of 16 after scoring against his 35th opponent in Europe's premier club competition.
He then won a penalty just before half-time after forcing Kalidou Koulibaly into clumsily fouling him inside the box, with Messi generously giving Luis Suarez the chance to get on the scoresheet from the spot.
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The Uruguayan dispatched the penalty with aplomb to bring the scoreline to 4-1 on aggregate with an away goal - though Napoli's Lorenzo Insigne converted a spot-kick of his own right at the end of the first half to make it 4-2 across the two legs.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Football News, FC Barcelona, Football, Lionel Messi, Napoli
