Barcelona (AFP)
Lionel Messi laughs and grimaces: the captain of FC Barcelona, crowned Monday player Fifa of the year, contributed Tuesday to a welcome victory against Villarreal (2-1) in the Championship of Spain but the Argentine, who returned from injury, relapsed and gave way to the break.
At the Camp Nou, Messi celebrated his first tenure of the season with a decisive pass on corner for the head of Antoine Griezmann (6th). Then, apparently touched in the left thigh, he was forced out while the score was 2-1, just one week after recovering from a right calf injury.
In his absence, Barça held up the score after a missile Blaugrana signed Arthur (15th) and the response of the playmaker Villarreal Santi Cazorla (44th) on a strike just as clear.
With this short success, Barça clears the defeat suffered on Saturday at the promoted Grenada (2-0) and is placed at the foot of the provisional podium (10 pts), to a length of a trio composed of Grenada (braked by Valladolid 1- 1), Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid, which face Osasuna on Wednesday.
© 2019 AFP