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‘Sick’ Messi hits double as Barca rip Osasuna

Comment: 0 January 5th, 2012 by: admin

EVEN when showing signs of illness, Lionel Messi can’t still be stopped from scoring.

The Argentine superstar missed Barcelona’s practice Wednesday morning due to stomach ache and was believed to be unfit to play for their later match. He was even announced to be missing the game but got well minutes before the start of the round-of-16 tussle.

And then the two-time World Player of the Year erased all doubts at gametime.

After responding positively to treatment and then feeling better, Messi got back to business and banged in a pair of goals in Barca’s 4-0 swamping of Osasuna in the Copa del Rey at Camp Nou. The second leg will be staged in Pamplona on Jan. 12.

Playmaker Cesc Fabregas also starred for the win by scoring the other two goals.

‘It was just a stomach ache, nothing else. That’s why I didn’t practice in the morning,’ Messi said. ‘It was good to play.’

Messi got on the pitch as Pedro’s substitute after the interval and as usual he easily found the back of the net, upping his scoring output this season to 31 at the same time giving Barca a comfortable cushion the knockout series.

Xavi supplied Messi with a wondrous cross in the 72^nd minute and the Argentine ace masterfully headed the ball in after rising above anybody else in the crowded area. The second goal of “The Flea’’ came via a left-foot strike from the edge of the area in the first minute of stoppage time after Xavi set him up with a fine through ball.

For his part, Fabregas connected in the 14^th and 18^th minutes to shove Barca 2-0 up at the break.

Messi was sent home by Barca coach Pep Guardiola earlier in the day but the former called in the afternoon and said he was better.

The one who missed the game because of the flu was goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who was replaced by backup Jose Pinto. The Catalans also played without David Villa and Andres Iniesta but were simply too much for their opponents.

If Barca go on to oust Osasuna, they face the possibility of battling bitter nemesis and holders Real Madrid in the quarterfinals.

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