Messi on song as Barca thrash Sociedad

Barcelona have hit their stride and their six goals against Real Sociedad were no less than they deserved. It was a scintillating attacking display and perhaps their best since Ronald Koeman took charge.

Messi scored his 11th and 12 goals in his last 10 games, and made it 16 in 12 this year. It is a far cry from his underwhelming start to the season, when the 33-year-old looked weighed down by talk about his future.

Messi's form represents the biggest threat to Atletico's position at the top of the table but he was not alone at the Reale Arena, where Sergino Dest scored twice either side of half-time after Antoine Griezmann had slammed in the opener. Ousmane Dembele and Real Sociedad's Ander Barrenetxea -- with arguably the goal of the night -- both registered between Messi's double in the second half.

For Barcelona, it is a ninth consecutive away win in the league, with a club record 10th within their grasp if they beat Real Madrid in the Clasico on April 10.

Real Sociedad must now try to recover before they play Basque rivals Athletic Bilbao in the postponed Copa del Rey final from last year on April 3.

 

March 21, 2021

Dest had already hit the crossbar when Messi set Jordi Alba free down the left and while Dembele's finish was saved, Griezmann was on hand to slam home the rebound.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen had to rectify his own poor clearance by getting down low to deny Alexander Isak but Real Sociedad's resistance was brief. Messi slipped in Dest to fire in and then Alba pulled back from the other side for the American to make it three.

Messi snuck in behind early in the second half, poking in Sergio Busquets' ball over the top before Dembele was allowed to glide through unchallenged, and impressively drove into the far corner.

Barrenetxea at least put his side on the scoreboard, and brilliantly, by nipping inside Frenkie de Jong and thundering a shot into the top corner but Messi had the last word, a crisp finish curling inside the near post.