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MADRID – Lionel Messi put on a show in Barcelona’s final Spanish league game of the year, scoring once and mesmerizing with his dribbling skills to set up two other goals in a 4-1 win against Espanyol in the city derby on Sunday.
Luis Suarez struck the first two goals and Jordi Alba added another in a victory that left Barcelona three points behind leader Real Madrid ahead of the winter break. Madrid, which won FIFA’s Club World Cup in Japan this weekend, has a game in hand.
Messi dazzled the crowd at Camp Nou for the first time when he cleared four defenders outside the area – including by rolling the ball between the legs of one of them – before having his shot parried. Suarez pounced on the loose ball to score his second goal in the 67th minute.
After nearly scoring following a neat feint that fooled two defenders inside the area, Messi finished the night in style by finding the net from close range after a pass by Suarez in the 90th.
For the second time of the night, the crowd got to its feet and chanted “Messi, Messi.” (AP)
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