BARCA VS BETIS: LIONEL MESSI HAT TRICK OF ASSISTS HERO

BARCA 

VS 

BETIS 

INSIDE THE FOXHOLE

by

LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

                  Lionel Messi, the greatest player of all time, has had a hell of a season...it's been a blistering ride on the field and a maddening one of bizarre firsts off the pitch:
                 Leo's dodged injuries, Ernesto Valverde's cluelessness, and currently his own board's impotent cowardice to lead Barcelona yet again to victory this weekend: but it wasn't his classic goalscoring, riveting free kicks or uncanny, fleet footed runs in on goal which delivered Barca from Betis's combative clutches:
                  In the madcap 2-3 victory over Real Betis, Leo proceeded to spellbind us with his stunning passing arsenal and his absolute mastery of the set piece delivery, sending in two chipped-in crosses from free kicks for Clement Lenglet and Sergi Busquets to meet into the net, both following his disgusting 1st assist, the "Assist of the Year" which equalized the match: 
                 It all started at the back when Lenglet played a risky pass into Frenkie De Jong, this great ball from the back bypassing a line of press in the process. From there, De Jong sprayed it wide to Messi, hovering around the right wing. 
                  The magic man cut inside, spots the run of Frenkie bursting into the box, and clapped an otherworldly aerial through ball for the Dutchman to run on to and lace into the bottom corner, Messi grabbing his first hat trick of assists since March 12th, 2016 vs Getafe, while Setien and the fans will be elated about the Barca DNA's revival in the first goal.
                  During the course of Leo's last 4 matches for Barcelona, he's been directly responsible for 8 of their last 10 goals, though the fact he's assisted 6 and scored 2 displays a growing trust and confidence in his teammates around him.
                 Against Levante a week prior, our main man Leo fooled around and fell in love with laying on the sweet pass, almost dropping a hat trick of assists in a 3 minute period. Messi dished 2 assists for a pair of Ansu Fati goals in only a minute and a half, both coming from sneaky combination play in and around the box, orchestrated and laid on by the insatiable Argentine.
                 The first was a marvelous display of why Messi needs to start on the right wing:
                 Leo cut in from the right and angled a singular, artistic triumph of a pass through, around or behind seven different defenders and into Fati's goal-bound path.
                 The way the ball sprayed along the floor like a hovercraft and rolled its way precisely through to Fati's quick feet, dancing with time and space: the prodigy couldn't miss from the opportunity the pass provided.
                 Only a half minute later, Messi was cutting inside on to his left again and, after attracting the turn of three defenders, Messi placed the ball carefully and accurately across the carpet to Fati, the winger / forward smashing an ugly shot which was never going anywhere but the goal after the assist from which it was birthed.
                 As if Messi wanted to make us all die 
a second death, while making sure Levante succumbed to his final 
straw, a mere minute and a half following the second Fati goal, Messi sent right back Nelson Semedo through with a ridiculous ball out wide right. 
                But when Semedo cannoned a close range blast off the post with his wrong foot, Lionel Messi was kept from a hat trick of assists by the post for the 2nd time this campaign....luckily for the most unlucky G.O.A.T of all time, Leo said "today's the day" when he came on to the pitch on Sunday, the first Barca match since a near fatal car accident for this author. 
                Leo put on a show, pulling off my favorite (and the most difficult) statistical anomaly of all in futbol: the hat trick of assists.
                It will be my dutiful honor to make sure we tally the amount of times Lionel Messi was slightly cheated out of a hat trick of assists by a shot off the post...the numbers are just frightening...but when you actually watch the whimsical depravity this man is perpetrating upon defenses, how easy the game comes for him while facing the best of the best...you'll never take his greatness for granted.
                The only concerning factor is the known potential of injuries within this thin, depth-ridden squad.                    
               Quique Setien must protect Lionel Messi at all costs, and shield our captain from any unnecessary 90 minutes on the pitch if we want to win the Champions League. 
                When there's no Suarez, no Dembele, no Carles Perez (a player looking like a steambreather out of the gates who was never given a chance), it's very thin for Barca at the top: it means every match, no matter what opponent, one of either Griezmann or Messi must play.

                 I can't think of anything more damning of the board or the previous manager than the current mess this squad, only 17 available players, has been left in...and thank (pick your deity) for our elimination in the Copa Del Rey.
                On Valverde's way out the door, the Espanyol / Real Madrid double agent made sure to get rid of key depth in nearly every position on the field: 
                Loaning out one of La Masia's most promising midfielders in a long time, the brilliant and high-performing Carles Alena to Real Betis (starting in his 1st match against us this Sunday);
                We sent center back Jean-Claire Todibo packing to Schalke (a confident young Frenchman with boundless athletic upside)...now we have 3 experienced defenders left total: 1 La Masia kid who was sent off within minutes of his debut (the talented Araujo), the injury-prone Samuel Umtiti (my favorite defender) and injured / exhausted Pique and Lenglet.  
                 Then, this embarrassing board sent off forward / winger Carles Perez on a permanent deal to Roma...a thoroughly shocking move, and massively-talented, World Cup-scoring right back Moussa Wague away for no reason.
                 To ruin us further, Valverde started an already hurt Suarez alongside starters Messi, De Jong, Pique etc in an unnecessary exhibition Supercopa match vs Atletico, and of course, like clockwork under Valverde, Suarez went down until May.
                 Now, Setien has a barebones squad to work with, but the manager has already shown guile and promise in his rotations, tactical philosophy, and formations.
                In reality, we don't have too much time to rest Lionel Messi or anyone else for that matter...we play Napoli and Real Madrid on 2/25 and 3/1....this is the time we need to get this thing right.
                 Winning can cure all, and after gutting out a tough win on the road vs Betis, Lionel Messi pumping off 3 earth-scorching assists to 3 different teammates, curling a set piece assist on to Clement Lenglet's dome for the 2nd time in 4 matches, as assistant coach Eder Sarabia becomes a fine addition to the Barca coaching tree (as he instructed Lenglet and others throughout the match) we feel we're on our way...
                 This was an important victory for Setien and his staff...more than settling some score from the year before, this match was key for Barcelona to finally tough out an away match...to come from behind, score goals, attempt to conquer and play our style insistently (70% possession, 710 passes to Betis's 301).
                     Still, this was an escape...as Barca relearn how to play and win as a team, Antoine Griezmann fizzles and scraps on the periphery, failing to get into the game due to being shoved out to the wings, Lionel Messi is still an institution: carving out 6 key passes and setting up another chance which was shut down by La Masia-educated Marc Bartra's block, Leo also forced Betis keeper Joel Robles into 3 incredible saves.
                Many will say Griezmann has been ineffective, however one of those Robles' saves was set up by a phantasm of a pass down the line by the Frenchman.
                On the right wing, Antoine Griezmann fed Messi with a ridiculous, square-ball across to Leo, Robles diving and poking Messi's flicked attempt. Despite his lukewarm overall performances, the World Cup winner was all over the pitch today, running his guts out and setting up a good portion of the build-up play which led directly to all 10 shot attempts from Setien's men.
                All in all, this was a big stepping stone for a Barcelona reeling from the board's turmoil: this is evidence of the players hunkering down in the foxhole, battling against the hysteria of the Spanish media's madness, and the pathetic actions and words of the board's scapegoat / figurehead Eric Abidal.
               Messi has shown his leadership both on and off the field, defending his teammates and finally calling out a board that's been way out of their depth for years...he played with the savagery and precision of a surgeon... look for him to continue to pull off the unimaginable as he defies those who decry his "lack of leadership".
                Right now, Messi is the AssistKing and Barcelona, little by little, are picking up steam.
                             
once again, 
by
LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN