Unselfish Lionel Messi Inspires Barcelona at Espanyol to Give Clear Liga Run

Barcelona have taken a large step toward the La Liga title with a 2-0 win over Espanyol on Saturday at Estadi Cornella-El Prat, and that's in no small part thanks to Lionel Messi.

It was not just Messi's goal, his 36th league strike of what has been a magnificent season for the Argentine, but also his general creativity and attitude.

The Barcelona No. 10 played in a withdrawn role on the right, as he has occupied at various points during the season.

From there, he created various opportunities for his team-mates, notably in the first half. He has perfected the dink into the box from the right—the perfect weight, the perfect positioning.

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

Messi did this once, looping a perfect ball for Neymar into the box, but the Brazilian hooked it inches over the crossbar and the onrushing Kiko Casilla.

Messi did it twice, finding Jordi Alba, who couldn't control it, but the ball fell nicely for Luis Suarez, whose header was saved.

Messi did it thrice, and it was third time lucky. Alba volleyed the ball across the box, Suarez dummied it and Neymar, at the back post, fired home.

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

Without wanting to spark up a debate over Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, it's impossible to see the Real Madrid star being happy to hang back and pull the strings from deep.

That's not a slur on Ronaldo; Messi is just more comfortable playing a supporting role. But, having created so many chances, it was only right for Barcelona's other players to pay him back.

Andres Iniesta hooked the ball into the box, and Suarez fired it across, looking for Messi. There he was, at the back post, controlling the ball and giving himself time to drill it across the face of goal and into the inside side-netting to double Barcelona's lead.

And as Juan Manuel Diaz points out in this Sport article, now it's Madrid's turn to suffer a tough run of games:

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They must play away at Celta Vigo next week, one of the toughest away matches of the season, enjoying only one "rest" game, against Almeria at home, before they go away to Sevilla, host Valencia and then play at Espanyol.

Real Madrid's calendar is, in theory, good for Barcelona, who host Getafe, visit Cordoba and then welcome Real Sociedad to the Camp Nou. The trickiest test remaining for Lucho is the trip to the Vicente Calderon, to face Atletico Madrid in the penultimate game week of the season.

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Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

It's hard to see Madrid, who are five points behind Barcelona, emerging unscathed from that run. Sevilla are unbeaten at home and took a point off Barcelona there. Valencia nearly got something at Camp Nou, too.

The Catalans' passing game may not be their main selling point anymore, but to say it has gone completely would be nonsense. The first goal took 25 passes to build up and was a thing of beauty.

And their current form isn't limited to that, as Dermot Corrigan of ESPN.com quoted Luis Enrique as saying:

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The team keeps improving.

It is the best first half in terms of dominating all facets of the game, a lot of the ball in the opposition half. Good pressure. Excellent movement of the ball, looking for the goal.

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Barcelona are closing in on La Liga, and it's down to a variety of reasons: Enrique, Claudio Bravo, Gerard Pique, the strike force. All are important. But Lionel Messi and his unselfishness have been major factors, too.