Lionel Messi (C) challenges Girona’s Malian midfielder Ibrahima
Kebe (R) during a friendly football match between FC Barcelona and
Girona at the Johan Cruyff stadium in Sant Joan Despi near
Barcelona on September 16, 2020. (Photo by Josep LAGO /
AFP)
Lionel Messi scored twice on Wednesday as Barcelona beat
second-division Girona 3-1 in a preseason friendly.
Messi helped set up Philippe Coutinho, back from his loan at
Bayern Munich, for the first goal after 21 minutes.
The Argentine scored his first after 45 minutes, spinning on the
edge of the penalty area and drilling a shot in off the base of the
far post. He scored his second, with a deflected shot, after 50
minutes.
He went off after an hour.
Messi only returned to training at the start of last week after
saying he wanted to leave the club.
Messi started Barcelona’s first friendly on Saturday, playing 45
minutes without scoring in a 3-1 victory over third-tier Gimnastica
Tarragona.
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
Earlier on Wednesday, La Liga president Javier Tebas said he was
pleased Messi had stayed at Barcelona.
“Messi is important for our competition,” said Tebas, at an
event to promote the Liga sticker collection. “He is a player who
was born in our competition… and hopefully he will finish his
career in our league.”
Barcelona used 20 players in Wednesday’s game at the club’s
training centre but neither Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez nor
Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal appeared.
Manager Ronald Koeman said after the game he had talked to
Suarez and acknowledged Barcelona might not be able to sell
him.
“If finally he does not find a team and ends up staying, he will
be one more player for the squad,” said Koeman.
Barcelona are due to start their league campaign on September 26
or 27 against Villarreal.
Read more https://swordpress.com.ng/2020/09/17/messi-scores-twice-as-barcelona-win-friendly/