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Real Betis Goalkeeper Pau López's Reaction To Lionel Messi's Third Says It All

Real Betis Goalkeeper Pau López's Reaction To Lionel Messi's Third Says It All

Lionel Messi's sublime performance against Real Betis wowed many players, including Pau López, Sergi Roberto, Luis Suárez and Ivan Rakitić.

Adnan Riaz

Adnan Riaz

Goalkeeper Pau López summed up how many felt towards Lionel Messi after his reaction to the Barcelona captain's third against Real Betis started to make the rounds on social media.

The 31-year-old Argentine forward completed his hat-trick in amazing style, executing a perfect chip and leaving López hopeless in keeping his effort out of his net.

The 24-year-old Spaniard was impressed with his strike, with his facial expression speaking more volumes than words could ever do.

But hey, he wasn't alone in that feeling.

In fact, other images have surfaced online showing Sergi Roberto, Luis Suárez and Ivan Rakitić all blown away by what they had witnessed.

Messi, who received a standing ovation from the Betis fans, started off the match strong when he opened the scoring from a magnificent 20-yard free-kick.

Following on from the match, Barça boss Ernesto Valverde praised the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's performance and the warm reception that he received from the Béticos supporters at the Benito Villamarín.

"Our opponents suffer because of Messi, but they also enjoy him," he said (via Marca).

"His match tonight was extraordinary, he's scored three goals and also made a fourth.

PA

"The public has recognised his talent, they are enjoying seeing him in his prime and they respect him for the player he is."

Barcelona are at the top of La Liga and have a ten-point lead over second-place Atlético Madrid, with Valverde admitting how important the win against Betis was for their season.

"Today was a vital match, especially after Atlético [Madrid's]'s defeat," he explained.

"We've taken an important step, but we have to be cautious.

"It's a league and we have to be careful because there is room for teams to catch up, we have to keep going."

With ten matches remaining in La Liga, will Atlético be able to catch up to the reigning Spanish champions?

Let us know in the comments.

Featured Image Credit: Eleven Sports

Topics: Football News, Football, Barcelona, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Ivan Rakitic, Ernesto Valverde, La Liga