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Barcelona player Lionel Messi leads the ball to score his team’s first goal in the match during the Spanish Football League match between Barcelona and Valencia at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday 19 December 2020. LessBarcelona player Lionel Messi headed the ball to score the first goal in the match during the Spanish Football League match between Barcelona and Valencia at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, … More
Photo: Joan Monfort, AP
Photo: Joan Monfort, AP
Barcelona, Spain (AFP) Lionel Messi set another personal milestone in Barcelona’s 2-2 draw with Valencia in La Liga on Saturday.
Messi’s 643 goal in his football career for Barcelona since his debut in 2004 equals Pele’s tally for Santos, which he accumulated from 1957 to 1974. Messi is the historic goalscorer for Barcelona and La Liga.
The recent setback for Barcelona left Ronald Koeman in fifth place, eight points behind league leaders Atlético Madrid, who scored twice by Luis Suarez to help their 3-1 victory over Elche.
Messi canceled the opening match for Mokhtar Diajabi for Valencia when he scored in the first half of stoppage time moments after Jaume Domanec had saved a penalty. Jordi Alba recovered the rebound ball from Dominic’s save and passed it to the far post, where Messi headed it.
Midfielder Ronald Araujo scored his first goal of his career with Barcelona with an acrobatic blow to put the hosts ahead at Camp Nou in the 53rd minute.
But Jose Gaia made Maxi Gomez reacting to Valencia in the 69th minute and dividing points.
Two young Americans, who started on both sides, participated in the match. Serginho Diest, 20, played the full match as Barcelona’s right back, while 18-year-old Yunus Musa was substituted in the first half after Valencia’s right-back appeared to have injured his leg. He walked very carefully.
Degrees of Switzerland
Suarez’s goals were his first since returning to work recently after contracting the Coronavirus.
Suarez’s double ensured Atletico lost a 2–0 defeat to Real Madrid, their first defeat in the tournament since February.
The Uruguay striker’s seven goals make him the league’s top scorer, alongside Sociedad striker Mikel Uyarzabal and Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas.
Suárez was not the dominant goalscorer he was at Barcelona before the change of clubs this summer, but he was still a world-class player when his teammates gave him the ball in the scoring center.
The hosts put the hosts ahead in the 41st minute with a subtle touch to lead a long pass by Kieran Trippier into the goalkeeper past Edgar Badia.
Suarez added the second goal in the 58th minute when he slipped into the net, a low ball sent by Yannick Carrasco to the far post.
Lucas Puyer scored a header for Elche in the 64th minute and he saved Jan Oblak with one hand minutes later.
Substitute Diego Costa put the result without a doubt, when he won a penalty and hit it 10 minutes before the end of the match. It was Costa’s first appearance after missing seven matches due to injury.
The league leaders are three points ahead of Real Sociedad and Real Madrid. Sociedad will visit Levante later on Saturday while Real Madrid will visit Eibar on Sunday.
Later, too, Villarreal IV plays Osasuna, while Sevilla faces Valladolid.
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