Leganes 1 - 5 Barcelona: Lionel Messi at the double as Barcelona fire five against Leganes

Posted Saturday, September 17, 2016 by PA

Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona thumped Leganes 5-1 in LaLiga.

Having stunningly lost 2-1 at home to Alaves in their last league game, Barcelona have responded with 12 goals in a week with this result coming on the heels of a 7-0 Champions League rout of Celtic.

Five of those have come from Messi, who added to his midweek hat-trick by opening the scoring and adding a second-half penalty. Strike partners Luis Suarez and Neymar were also on target in the first half, while Rafinha netted the fifth before Gabriel pulled one back from a free-kick.

Messi was denied a penalty in the early stages, while Leganes' Carl Medjani headed over the bar after confusion between Samuel Umtiti and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Having started slowly, though, Barcelona were in no mood to lose to a second promoted team and took a 15th-minute lead when Rafinha won the ball to start the move and Suarez barrelled forward down the right before squaring the ball for Messi to finish first time from 10 yards.

Neymar volleyed just over before Suarez doubled the lead, tapping home in the 31st minute after Messi danced through the defence.

Darwin Machis had a double chance to pull a goal back, but saw his first effort blocked by the chest of Ter Stegen before Umtiti cleared his follow-up off the line.

But Neymar killed the game off just before half-time as Barcelona's feared 'MSN' front three found top gear. Messi produced a sublime trick on the edge of the centre circle, juggling the ball over the head of defender Pablo Insua before sending Suarez through on goal. The Uruguayan drew goalkeeper Jon Ander Serantes before squaring to present Neymar with a simple finish.

Ter Stegen saved from Mamadou Kone but it was 4-0 just 10 minutes after half-time. Unai Bustinza tripped Neymar, and from the resulting penalty Messi fired into the top corner.

Paco Alcacer replaced Suarez and soon had a goal disallowed for offside before Rafinha made it 5-0. The Brazilian took the ball forward down the right channel, wrong-footed two defenders as he switched the ball onto his left foot and then arrowed a 20-yard strike into the top corner.

Alcacer failed to convert Jordi Alba's dangerous cross before Leganes grabbed a fine consolation goal.

Gabriel was fouled by Barcelona substitute Arda Turan 20 yards out and curled the resulting free-kick superbly beyond Ter Stegen into the top right corner.

The Brazilian shot just wide after a neat piece of skill in the Barcelona area in stoppage time as the Blaugrana eased to a comfortable win.