The champions and defending champions Barcelona launched their return to the competitions with a landslide victory over Real Mallorca 4-0 on Saturday in the twenty-eighth stage of the Spanish Football League, the first after the competitions resumed Thursday after stopping for three months due to the Corona virus.
Chilean Arturo Vidal (2), Danish Martin Braithwaite (37), Jordi Alba (79) and Argentine Lionel Messi (90 + 3) scored Barcelona goals, which strengthened its position in the lead with 61 points, away five points temporarily against its direct chase Real Madrid who hosts Eibar today Sunday at the end of the stage.
And the Catalan club achieved the most important in the first half by scoring two goals from two opportunities only, before he dealt a fatal blow to the owners of the land in the second half by scoring two goals also, including the goal of Messi, the star of the match and the goal maker of Braithwaite and Alba.
Commander Messi played essentially after suffering a muscle injury in the middle of last week, while Uruguayan international Luis Suarez, who recovered from surgery he underwent in January, sat in the outer cartilage of his right knee, on the bench, before coach Kiki Seten included him in the 57th minute, the place of French Antoine Griezmann Out of his form.
Vidal gave Barcelona the lead in the second minute with a header from close range after a cross pass from Alba, raising his score to seven goals this season.
The Japanese, Takifusa Kobo, loaned from Real Madrid, almost equalized with a direct free kick from outside the region that bounced off the German international goalkeeper Terchigen before the defense scattered him (32).
Braithwaite reinforced the Catalan club's lead when he received a header from Messi inside the area, and he struck her with his right in the goal (37).
It is the first goal for Braithwaite in Barcelona colors since he moved to his ranks last February from Leganes as a medical joker (based on a clause in the championship laws that allows the team to do so for compelling medical reasons), outside the transfer market after the end of the season of his French star Osman Dembele due to injury.
Braithwaite became the third Danish player to shake the net in the history of the Catalan club after Michael Laudrup (39 goals) and Alan Simonson (31).
The Croatian Antti Podimir almost narrowed the difference by a header from inside the region that passed near the right post (45 + 1), and the player himself fired a strong ball from outside the region that passed near the right post of Ter Stegen (48).
Alba dealt the final blow to Mallorca by scoring the third goal when he received a ball from Messi, then he penetrated into the area and fired it with his left foot to the right of goalkeeper Manuel (79).
Messi ended the festival in the third minute of stoppage time when he received a ball from Suarez inside the area and played with defenders before he fired a strong right into the goal.
He is Messi's 20th goal this season, boosting his position to the top of the scorers list.

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