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Lionel Messi gestures after scoring against Athletic Bilbao. Manu Fernandez/AP/Press Association Images
Comeback

Messi winner keeps Barca's La Liga hopes alive

The Catalan giants had to come from behind to beat Bilbao.

BARCELONA MAINTAINED THEIR slim chances of retaining their La Liga title as they came from behind to beat Athletic Bilbao 2-1 at the Camp Nou on Sunday.

Aritz Aduriz’s opener five minutes into the second-half had Barca on course for a fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions.

However, the Catalans showed fine spirit to respond as two goals in as many minutes from Pedro Rodriguez and Lionel Messi handed them all three points.

Victory lifts Barca into second place, two points ahead of Real Madrid having played a game more, but still four points adrift of leaders Atletico Madrid with four games remaining.

With Jordi Alba and Neymar added to Barca’s growing injury list, coach Gerardo Martino made four changes to the side that lost the Copa del Rey final to Real Madrid on Wednesday.

Pedro was one of those to come into the side and he wasted the first opening of the game as he placed his shot too close to Gorka Iraizoz when clean through before the Athletic goalkeeper also smothered an effort from Messi.

It was the visitors who nearly went in front in spectacular style on the half hour, though, as Aduriz sent a stunning overhead kick crashing off the inside of the post and Jose Manuel Pinto reacted well to parry Markel Susaeta’s follow-up effort.

Barca were shocked into action by that scare and should have been in front moments later when Alexis Sanchez turned Pedro’s low cross onto the crossbar.

Iraizoz then made two more comfortable saves from Pedro and Sanchez to send Athletic in level at the break and things got even better for the Basque side five minutes after the break when Aduriz’s low strike this time found the bottom corner of the net.

Barca then laid seige to the Athletic goal as Pedro again shot straight at Iraizoz when clean through before Messi also wasted a great chance when he pulled his shot wide of the target.

The hosts did finally find a way through 18 minutes from time in somewhat fortunate circumstances as Sanchez’s intended shot fell perfectly into the path of Pedro to tap home his 19th goal of the season.

Two minutes later Barca had turned the game on its head as Messi was felled on the edge of the area by Oscar de Marcos and picked himself up to thump the resulting free-kick low into the far corner.

Barca should have extended their lead as Javier Mascherano and Cristian Tello wasted great opportunities on the counter-attack.

And they were nearly made to pay when Mascherano had to make a last-ditch challenge to prevent Mikel Rico equalising in stoppage time.

 - © AFP, 2014

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