Football
Messi takes Barca within two points of top spot
Lionel Messi scored and created the other as Barcelona beat in-form Sevilla and went within two points of La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid.
Messi fed Ousmane Dembele to slot home the opener before team-mate Sergino Dest hit the post.
Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet had a header disallowed for offside – and then Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri also had one ruled out for offside.
Messi scrambled home a late second to clinch the game.
The Barca captain had a shot saved by Sevilla keeper Bono, with a lucky ricochet taking Messi past the keeper to score into an empty net.
That was his 38th goal against Sevilla, six more than he has managed against any other side.
He has now netted in eight La Liga games in a row – 12 goals in total during those matches – his best streak in two years.
Barca’s winner took them within one result of Atletico Madrid, although Diego Simeone’s leaders have two games in hand. Sevilla’s defeat brings to an end a 10-game winning run in domestic competitions.
Both sides meet again on Wednesday in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg. Sevilla won the first leg 2-0.
