Messi scored a brace and delighted Barcelona supporters in Girona's friendly
Argentine Lionel Messi scored twice yesterday to lead Barcelona to a 3-1 victory over Girona, who plays in the second division, during a friendly match in preparation for the football season.
Brazilian Felipe Coutinho (21) and Messi (45 and 51) scored Barcelona's goals, while Samuel Sais scored the goal of Girona (46).
It is the second preparatory match for Barcelona under the supervision of its new Dutch coach Ronald Koeman, after his 3-1 victory over Nastic Tarragona on Saturday, where Messi missed the scoring after 45 minutes.
The Argentine international shocked the world of football last month after he announced his desire to leave the Catalan club before returning to his decision early September.
"Messi is important to our championship ... he is a player who was born in our championship and we hope that he ends his career in the league," La Liga president Javier Tepas said earlier.
Coutinho, who returned to Catalonia after a loan period to Bayern Munich, where he achieved a historic triple, opened the scoring after Messi passed a distinctive ball to the Portuguese Trinkau into the region, and he crossed it to the Brazilian on the goalkeeper (21).
Messi doubled the progress of his team, who played in pink with a wonderful goal, with a well-crafted shot from outside the area that hit the post before entering the net (45).
Saiss scored the goal to reduce the difference after the ball reached him inside the area, which he resided to the right of the Brazilian goalkeeper Neto, who participated in the place of the German Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Messi returned a two-goal lead to Barcelona with a left-footed shot from the outskirts of the region that bounced back from a defender to complete its way to the goal (51) before going out in the 60th minute. Koeman involved 20 players in the match that was held at the club's training headquarters, while Uruguayan striker Luis missed the second match. Suarez and Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal, who may leave the club in the current transfer market.
Coman said after the match that he had spoken with Suarez to inform him that Barcelona might not be able to sell him, "If he doesn't find a team and ends up here, he will be an extra player in the team."
Barcelona begin their LaLiga campaign on the current 26 or 27 against Villarreal.
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