Barcelona Vs Athletic Bilbao: Messi Winner Enough For Three Points

This was not easy for Barcelona and you can’t safely say they have escaped unscathed from their first mini-crsis, but they fought their way to three vital points as they maintain a five point gap between themselves and Real Madrid. David opened the scoring with a fine strike after good work from Xavi and Dani Alves and even though Iraola equalised from the spot after a clumsy tackle from Sergio Busquets, Lionel Messi made sure of the points with a lovely clipped finish from yet another Dani Alves assist.

Not the best performance we’ll ever see from a team regarded by many as the best in footballing history but spurred on by Iniesta and Messi, they proved tonight that they have substance to match their undoubted style. It was never going to be an easy match against Athletic Bilbao, a team who are a match for anyone on their day and who seem to have the secret formula to make life difficult for Barca, but with Fernando Llorente not quite able to impose himself on a makeshift centre-back pairing of Busquets and Pique, Athletic didn’t quite have enough to cause an upset in the Camp Nou.

So it’s as you were as the top of La Liga. Five points separating the top two and just as well for Guardiola and his side as they now face two tough away fixtures at Mallorca and Valencia sandwiched between their vital Champions League second leg clash against Arsenal.