Messi scores 600th career goal

A textbook free kick from Lionel Messi produced his 600th career goal. It was his 539th goal for Barcelona to go with 61 for Argentina.

From almost thirty yards out Messi whipped his shot over the Atletico Madrid wall. It then dipped and although Atletico goalkeeper Oblak was able to get a hand to it he could not keep it from hitting the corner of the net.

It was his third free goal directly from a free-kick in Messi’s last three appearances for Barcelona.

This one proved to be the only goal of a game that matched top of the league Barcelona with second place Atletico Madrid.

The game was watched 90,356 fans at Camp Nou, the highest attendance of the season.

It was Messi’s 24th goal in La Liga this season to go with 12 assists – both league-leading tallies.

The blemish on the win was an injury to Andrés Iniesta. The midfielder left the game in the first half with what looked to be a hamstring injury. If it is a hamstring problem he will be doubtful for the return leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Chelsea.

Barcelona will be hampered as Coutinho is unavailable having already played for Liverpool in the same competition.

Barcelona has yet to lose in their last 34 La Liga matches stretching back to the 2016/17 season. The league record is 38 games unbeaten set by Real Sociedad between April 1979 and May 1980. It also extends Barcelona’s unbeaten run in La Liga at the Camp Nou to 30 – 25 wins and 5 draws.

Atletico Madrid is now winless in their last 18 visits to the Camp Nou in all competitions.

The clean sheet by Marc-André ter Stegen was his 16th in La Liga this season and he is now within one of Jan Oblak’s league leading 17.

The win provided Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde with a first victory of his Atletico counterpart Diego Simeone in 11La Liga games.