Messi shines as Barca shows what might have been
Lionel Messi ran the show as dethroned LaLiga champion Barcelona took out its frustrations on Deportivo Alaves, winning 5-0 at the Mendizorroza.
Champion in Spain for each of the past two years, Barcelona surrendered its crown to Real Madrid this season and there might be fallout from that setback still to come.
At Alaves, however, it was a case of Barcelona showing it remains the most watchable team in Spain when it finds its rhythm, a double from Messi and further goals from Ansu Fati, Luis Suarez and Nelson Semedo doing the damage.
Barcelona threw away the lead in the title race after a handful of post-lockdown draws allowed Madrid to steal a march and losing to 10-man Osasuna reflected its misery, leading to questions being asked about coach Quique Setien's future. Against Alaves, it was a thoroughly different story.
The visitor had already hit the Alaves goal frame three times, through Riqui Puig, Arturo Vidal and Messi, before they took a 24th-minute lead through Fati.
Messi was the creator, with his cross from the right having the sting slightly taken out of it by a minor deflection before dropping perfectly for Fati to crack into the bottom-right corner.
The second goal in the 34th minute came when Barcelona's players burst at pace and located their talisman in the centre of the penalty area.
Puig dutifully laid the ball into Messi's path from the left, and after shimmying delightfully to deceive goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez, the Argentinian stroked the ball home from close range.
Vidal had a header well saved by Roberto from Messi's terrific cross, before Suarez made it 3-0 in the 44th minute, nodding home after great link-up play from Messi and Jordi Alba.
Semedo replaced the injured Clement Lenglet early in the second half and left his defensive station to surge into the Alaves box and smash home a fourth goal in the 57th minute.
Messi guided home a cross from Alba in the 75th minute to complete the rout.
