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Atletico Madrid jumped to the highest of La Liga on Saturday with a 4-Zero thrashing of Cadiz after Lionel Messi got here on at half-time to rescue Barcelona in opposition to Real Betis. Atletico claimed first place, forward of Real Sociedad on aim distinction, with the wonderful Joao Felix scoring twice in one other spectacular victory for Diego Simeone’s facet. Luis Suarez and Marcos Llorente had been additionally on the right track as Atletico made it 5 wins and two attracts from their opening seven video games and underlined their standing as real title contenders.
They have scored 17 targets and conceded simply two in that point.
After the worldwide break, Atleti play at house to Barcelona, when Suarez and Antoine Griezmann will probably be up in opposition to their former golf equipment.
But whereas Suarez has loved an outstanding begin for Atletico, scoring 5 targets already, Griezmann continues to battle within the shadow of Messi at Camp Nou.
Messi had been rested by Ronald Koeman however was thrown on with the sport within the stability after Griezmann missed a penalty, earlier than Betis’ Antonio Sanabria cancelled out Ousmane Dembele’s opener.
Within 4 minutes of his introduction, Messi gave Griezmann an open aim with an outstanding dummy after which scored twice himself, the primary a penalty that noticed Betis’ Aissa Mandi despatched off for a handball on the road.
In between, Loren Moron had given Betis transient hope however Messi’s second and a late strike from Pedri ensured Barcelona ended their four-match winless run and climbed to eighth in La Liga.
Messi additionally gave a convincing reply to these suggesting his performances this season have been proof of decline.
“Leo finished the match against Kiev with some problems,” stated Koeman. “He wasn’t in a position to play in the first half but we talked about him being on the bench and said he would come on if he felt good.
“He’s a participant who in precept all the time performs, however immediately he did not due to some minor issues.”
Griezmann also got his goal with Messi on the pitch but was unable to prove a point without him.
Gloomy Griezmann
Despite a lively opening half an hour, Griezmann missed a penalty before Messi scored his and Griezmann was eventually substituted, pictured sat in the stands with a gloomy expression while Barca romped to victory.
“I hope he continues to work like he’s working,” said Koeman. “To miss alternatives you must be there. We should spotlight his character, to maintain working. He is aware of completely effectively that he has missed a penalty, and a few probabilities, but it surely means he’s all the time there to attain.”
Barca broke through after 22 minutes when Dembele cut inside onto his left foot before hammering a finish past Claudio Bravo for his first league goal in 13 months.
Mandi conceded a penalty after sliding in on Ansu but Griezmann missed, a tame shot easily saved by Bravo, before Betis scored, Sanabria finishing after Cristian Tello had again surged clear down the left.
Messi came on and four minutes later Barca were ahead, the Argentinian scuttling to meet Jordi Alba’s cross at the front post, only to step over the ball, fooling his marker and the goalkeeper, to leave Griezmann with an open net.
Messi made it 3-1 with a penalty, won after his pass had set up Dembele for a shot that was blocked on the line by the arm of Mandi, who was sent off.
Moron gave Betis hope with 17 minutes left but Messi made sure, latching onto Sergi Roberto’s flick and smashing in his second and Barca’s fourth. Pedri made it five in injury-time.
Promoted
Sevilla later beat Osasuna 1-Zero because of a penalty from Lucas Ocampos, that strikes them as much as 11th.
It is barely the second time Sevilla have managed back-to-back wins this season, after a 3-2 victory over Krasnodar on Wednesday within the Champions League.
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