Lionel Messi struck twice as Barcelona beat Las Palmas 3-0 in a match overshadowed by politics at a deserted Nou Camp.
The LaLiga clash was played behind closed doors after Barca’s request for it to be postponed amid local unrest during the Catalonia independence referendum was rejected.
Struggling Las Palmas, with Pako Ayestaran in charge for the first time, initially responded well to the unusual situation and hit the post in the first half but leaders Barca eventually took control.
Sergio Busquets broke the deadlock after the break and Messi secured Barca’s seventh win from seven games with two typically well-taken finishes.
“Game on. Behind close doors… such a surreal afternoon.” – Respected Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague tries to make sense of the situation.
Messi. Las Palmas played some enterprising football at times and Oussama Tannane was a particular threat but Barca stepped up the pressure after the break. Messi had some frustrating moments, missing the target with two gilt-edged opportunities and having two free-kicks kept out by Leandro Chichizola – but he could not be kept out of the game.
The manner with which he took his first goal, calmly swerving around the goalkeeper to tap in, underlined his enduring class and he quickly followed up with another.
Messi has now made his best-ever start to a LaLiga season.
Confusion reigned ahead of the game as it seemed it would be called off amid chaotic scenes around Catalonia. It was only 20 minutes before the scheduled kick-off that confirmation came that it would go ahead. The lack of fans made for an unusual atmosphere but prevented the game becoming a focal point for any large-scale demonstrations – although one lone protester did get onto the field from somewhere in the second half.
The players were at the heart of the issues themselves, with Barca coming out for the game in the colours of the Catalonia flag and Las Palmas having Spain flags embroidered into their shirts.
Ernesto Valverde will be pleased with the three points from this given all the disruption he and his squad had to deal with. Had they failed to come away with the win – and Las Palmas did give them some awkward moments in the first half – the refusal of authorities to grant Barcelona’s request for a postponement would have become an even bigger issue.
For Ayestaran, this was also a very difficult afternoon but he can be pleased with the way his players responded to the issues around them. Some of their play, at times, was not that of a struggling side. The new manager should be confident of lifting them away from the bottom.
Barcelona
Marc-Andre ter Stegen: 6 (Out of 10)
Sergi Roberto: 6
Gerard Pique: 6
Javier Mascherano: 6
Jordi Alba: 6
Aleix Vidal: 6
Sergio Busquets: 7
Paulinho: 6
Lionel Messi: 8
Luis Suarez: 7
Denis Suarez: 7
Substitutes:
Ivan Rakitic (for Paulinho, 45): 7
Andres Iniesta (for Vidal, 45): 7
Andre Gomes (for Iniesta, 84): 6
Messi racked up two goals to maintain his amazing start to the season.
Las Palmas
Leandro Chichizola: 6
Michel Macedo: 7
Ximo Navarro: 6
Mauricio Lemos: 6
Borja Herrera: 6
Alberto Aquilani: 6
Hernan: 6
Tana: 6
Jonathan Viera: 6
Oussama Tannane: 7
Jonathan Calleri: 7
Substitutes:
Vicente Gomez (for Hernan, 78): 5
Hernan Toledo (for Tana, 78): 5
Suarez was denied a goal by Javi Varas.
Atletico Madrid v Barcelona (LaLiga, October 14)
Las Palmas v Celta Vigo (LaLiga, October 16)
