Messi tees up victory as Barcelona cling on to fading title hopes | Malay Mail

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MADRID, July 12 — Lionel Messi made it 20 assists for the season in Barcelona’s stodgy 1-0 win over Real Valladolid on Saturday, even as his team’s La Liga challenge appears almost over.  Messi teed up Arturo Vidal’s winner at Jose Zorilla to become the first player to provide 20...

Barcelona's Lionel Messi in action with Real Valladolid's Javi Moyano at the Estadio Jose Zorrilla, Valladolid July 11, 2020. — Reuters pic

Victory for Barca means Real Madrid cannot clinch the title on Monday by beating Granada but only an incredible collapse will prevent them putting their name on the trophy later in the week. As well as matching the best La Liga total for assists by one player in the last 11 years, Messi extends his own career-best number of assists in a single league season.He also becomes only the second player in the 21st century from the five major European leagues to hit 20 goals and 20 assists in the same campaign, after Thierry Henry in 2002-03.

But he was bold against Valladolid, deploying a 3-5-2 formation, with Nelson Semedo and Jordi Alba as wing-backs and the versatile Sergi Roberto dropping into the back three. “We’ve had a lot of games, a lot of wear and a lot of players playing a lot of minutes. It’s not rocket science,” he said. The system worked well in the first half but Barca’s problem of converting possession into chances remained and Valladolid grew in confidence late on.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen had to make two saves in the second half as Valladolid pushed, the first from an Enes Unal header and the second in injury-time, after Sandro Ramirez was allowed space at the back post.

 

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